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A
i
BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT
CYCLOPEDIA
OF THE
THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY,
COMPRISING >y J"
MIDDLESEX, MONMOUTH AND SOMERSET COUNTIES
TOGETHER WITH
AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EACH COUNTY.
EDITED BY
SAMUEL T. WILEY
IVTHOR OF HISTORIES OF NIAGARA, WASHINGTON AND WARREN COl'NTIES, NEW YORK; PEESTON AND MONONGALIA COINTIES. WEST
VIRGINIA; AND FAYETTE, WESTMORELAND, BLAIR, INDIANA, ARMSTRONG, SCHUYLKILL, CHESTER,
DELAWARE AND MONTGOMKRY COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.
PHILADELPHIA: BIOGRAPHICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY,
1896.
^'^STfi
f
J>
PHHSS OP JAS. ». HOUURRS PRINTING COMPANY, 53 A 54 NORTH SIXTH STRBBT, PKlLADKLPHlAt ^A.
PREFACE.
/rp'/fgy isrOHY AND BIOGRAPHY— tlie life of the nation and the storv of the individual — are inseparably connected, for history is the synthesis of biography, and biography is the analysis of history ; md that department of history most valuable for the intelligent study of national life is biography, as it affords one great means of historical generalization. Biographical history is now popular l)ecause important. It secured national recognition in the Centennial year of the American Republic, when Con- gress recommended to every city, town and connty of the United States the necessity and duty of secnring for pi'eservation and future nse their local history and the biographies of their prominent and worthy citizens. Biography, teaching the highest good by presenting worthy examples, has become an indis- pensable element of all branches of history, and aids largely in the study of tlie philosophy of history. In its earlier stages of growth, biograph}' was only the story of the lives of heroes and great men often but partly and partially told, but in its later development it is the more impartial and satisfactory record of the great, the deserving and the nseful in every walk of life. Biography also preserves the names of thousands remarkable for wisdom, virtue, intelligence, energy and ability, and who only lacked opportunity to have won fame and distinction.
History and biography have ceased to be ponderous and pompous ; have ceased to be the story of monarchy and the record of kings, and are now the life of the nation and the chronicles of individual effort. We have in local biographical history a most potent and entertaining method of instructing b}^ precedent, of inciting to enudation, and of preserving the names of those who contributed to the transformation of tlie comities of this State from a primitive condition to their present wonderful state of development. No less important is a just and fitting memorial to those men and women who have impressed themselves upon their respective comuiunities, whether through industrial, politi-
6 Preface.
cal, professioiiiil or civic relations. The history of the past is the history of the few ; the history of the present is the history of the many " who by head or hand, force of character or high attainment, have made themselves centres or sources of influence in their respective communities." These biographies, taken together, make a complete history, political, social, commercial and industrial.
The Tliird Congressional District of New Jersey, comprising the counties of Middlesex, Monmouth and Somerset, constitutes one of the important districts in the State, and demands the best work on the part of historian, biographer and pul)lisher. Neither time, labor nor expense has been spared in the preparation of this volume, and it is placed before the public with the belief that it will be found equal to any work of similar character published in tliis country.
Various authorities have been consulted in the compilation of the intro ductory sketches, as W. Woodward Clayton's history of Middlesex and Union counties, Franklin C. Ellis's history of Monmouth comity, and James P. Snell's history of Somerset county. The work was specially designed to be biographical in its leading feature, giving much less comprehensiveness to the general historical matter, and, while containing some compilated material, the work is almost wholly devoted to new and original information. And in its preparation it would be presuming too much on human vigilance and ability to sa}' that it is absolutely free from errors.
The concise account given of political, judicial, medical, militar}^, educa- tional and religious matters, has been compiled from various sources of reliable and accurate information available.
Produced l)y ii vast amount of labor, wo believe this cyclopedia supplies a general and i)ermanent want, and contains no information that will become obsolete through the advance of knowledge. It seeks to preserve all valuable in the past, and yet includes the men who are active in the district in every line of progress and development at the present.
THE PUBLISHERS.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
GENERAL HISTORY
CHAPTER I.
Introduction — Geography — Topography — South Amboy Heights— Pigeon Swamp —Geology— Indian Occupation ....
CHAPTER II.
Early Settlements— Land Claims ....
CHAPTER III. Proprietary Rule— Provincial Govern- ment— County Formation
CHAPTER IV. The Revolutionary War
CHAPTER V. Internal Improvements
CHAPTER VI. The Civil War
OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
CHAPTER VII.
Later Railways— Rutgers College— New
Industries — County Progress 26
17
I CHAPTER VIII.
20 Cities and Townships 27
CHAPTER IX.
21 The Bench and Bar 32
I CHAPTER X.
22
The Medical Profession— Early Physi- cians—Later Physicians 35
23
! CHAPTER XI. 24 Churches 37
GENERAL HISTORY
CHAPTER I. Geography — Topography — Geology ....
CHAPTER II.
Indian Occupation — Dutch Discovery — Monmouth Patent
CHAPTER III.
County Formation — English Conquest — English, Scotch and Dutch Settle- ments
CHAPTER IV.
Proprietary and Royal Provincfal Gov- ernment
OF MONMOUTH COUNTY.
CHAPTER V. „q Commencement of the Revolution— Pro- tection Papers— Battle of Monmouth — Pine Robbers .... 46
I CHAPTER VI.
^. The Civil War 48
41
CHAPTER VII.
Townships and Towns 50
CHAPTER VIII.
The Bench and Bar 54
43
CHAPTER IX.
The Medical Profession 56
CHAPTER X.
45 Religious Denominations 57
Table of Contexts.
GENERAL HISTORY OF SOMERSET COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
iNTItODlTTION — GEOGRAPHY AND GeOLOGY . 58
CHAPTER II.
COMMEXCEMEXT OF THE EeVOLUTIOX— WaSU-
I xGTOX's Retreat — Weston — H eights
OK iliDDLEBROOK— Militia 60
CHAPTER III.
Co.m.mexcemest of the Civil War — Regi- mental Histories and Mortuary Lists 62
CHAPTER IV. Later Railways — Present Industries — County Progress 64
CHAPTER V. Township Histories 65
CHAPTER VI. The Bench and Bar 68
CHAPTER VIL The Medical Profession — Churches — Schools — Bibliography • 71
BIOGRAPHIES
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^r>L\CK, Theodore |
100 |
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.Vrrowsinitli, Eusebciis W |
136 |
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Ac'ken, Thomas N |
161 |
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Andei-son, John L. . . |
330 |
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Ackerson, Cornelius . . |
331 |
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AK\."v!imith, Joseph E |
188 |
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Amicss, Wiufield S. . . |
221 |
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Ai.plegate, M.D., A. T. |
248 |
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Annahle, The Misses . |
252 |
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Antouides, Jolin J. |
279 |
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Allaire, I'Mward S. . . |
281 |
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Ailiiire, George D. . . |
284 |
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Adam-, Robert L. . . . |
201 |
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.■\|ildegate, Grover T., M |
D |
293 |
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Allslniin, Harold K. . . |
323 |
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Anderson, .Andrew . . |
884 |
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Andriis, I)r. Cliarles . . |
(;i3 |
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.■\mcrinan, Jolin . . |
49t) |
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Allen, John Traflbrd . |
6i)3 |
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Alibolt, George W. . . |
5.i8 |
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Anderson, William \V. |
821 |
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Antonides, Ten Brook . |
836 |
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Ac'kerinan, Jas. Franklin, M.l |
. 527 |
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-ArroB-smith, S. V .>i2 |
Applegate, John Stillwell . . 919
Avers, Franklin M 745
Allen, Nathan 770
Armstrong, Henry K 704
Abbott, George AV o'lS
Atkinson, Peter A 1U15
Atkinson, C. S 524
gURTT, Edward C 987
Brown, George W. . . . 923
Brill, John C 1022
Byer, Jacob 1024
Borden, Jacob P 1032
Burt, B. L 913
Bird, Millard F 942
Burroughs, William C. . . 934
Buck, Valentine P 932
Brown, Ferdinand 928
Brace, Dr. H. M 907
Burnett, Dr. Charles B. . . 901
Bolton, A. G 900
Brown, Marcus A 894
Bogaard, E. M. Andrew ... 887
Brazo, Paul F 974
Brogger, L. C. N 973
Brown, Capt. Charles H. . . . 963
Brower, Alonzo 313
Bogle, James E 464
Bedman, William, Jr 401
Bennett, Hudson 455
Booth, Ralph W 522
Bedle, T. 1 851
Birmingham, William H. . . 846
Bach, Abraham H 845
Brown, Elwood R., D.D.S. . . 834
Bean, Rev. William Ilausou . 562
Brower, Charles W 561
Buell, Charles E 810
Bollscliweiler, Andrew .... 797
Buchanan, James Henry . . . 786
Bel lis, Lewis A 729
Burns, Patrick ...... 720
Banker, John 715
Brown, Oliver H 686
Burtt, Jacob <) 691
Blew, J. M 773
Ballautine, J. W 947
Bowne, Capt. George J. . . . 765
Brown, James, Jr 758
Bazley, T. D 509
Borden, Dr. Richard F. . . . 503
Blackwell, Dr. L. .S 497
Benbrook, F. C 593
Beale, Fred. A 585
Blaisdell, Edward B 582
Brown, Arthur M 638
Bartine, Hon. John D. . . . 628
Brown, Hon. Albert D. . . . 627
Butcher, Charles H. . . . . . 621
Bonham, David 879
Brogley, Jacob 872
Burns, Thomas 868
Beach, William B 865
Brown, Thomas C 855
Burk, Mrs. M. W 855
Bailey, Capt. George .... 300
Baldwin, Henry R., M. D. . . 294
Briggs, Louis 263
Bevin, Dr. William 260
Benuelt, Charles A 239
Bennett, Charles A., Jr. . . . 237
Bailey, Capt. Foreman O. . . 205
Barr, D. Miller, M.D 202
Burtis, W. S 177
Berry, James E 385
Barnes, Kdwin W 368
Brokaw, Richard H 354
Berry, Albion R 344
Bissett, James 446
Bedle, A. F 433
Brown, Minor 431
Brown, Benjamin F. S. . . . 408
Bergen, James J 40 J
Bruck, Joseph 403
Borden, John W 145
Bawden, John 139
Bedle, Elihu B 122
Booream, Mr. Theodore B. . . 115
Burroughs, Geo. Van Wagoner 60S
Blodgett, Rufus 431
Bedford, J. 0 292
Table of Coxtexts.
QAEROLL, Edgar, M.D. . 605
Cooley, Dr. Justice H. . 599
Crawford, James G 597
Conklin, Edgar E. .... 574
Corle, Hon. Calvin 515
Curtis, H. A 769
Curley, William E 764
Corle, George S 749
Clark, David 745
Conover, Richard S. . / . . 740
Coates, Charles E 663
Clauson, Andrew 681
Cole, Thomas C 669
Carson, William 704
Codington, Lewis M 701
Clinton, George A 797
Cooper, Dr. J. Howard . . . 793
Cronk, Lyman 567
Conover, Franklin Bruen . y. 551
Cook, Charles E 842
Carson, Garrett D 472
Carson, William H 472
Campion, Patrick 456
Campbell, James 965
Cliven, Joseph 959
Carberry, James 972
Conover, D. Lane ..•'... 971
Cook, Steward, Jr 988
Cantwell, Rev. W. F 986
Cartan, Lawrence 926
Conk, E. M 945
Colby, Rev. Frank C 938
Clark, John 934
Comings, (ieo. T 906
Conover, R. C ■ • l'^
Crego, Milo H 165
CJbrriell, Abner S 154
Crater, David S 114
Con very, Hon. Patrick ... 91
Chase, Hon. Daniel C 89
Cross, Rev. Henry 448
Cook, James E 438
Cuddy, Robert D 388
Carton, James D 387
Clark, Dr. S. V. D 384
Campbell, Peter B 382
Conover, Judge J. Clarence . 361
easier, Kufus T 910
Carson, lion. Robert .... 324
Case, Prof. Richard 232
Cortelyou, Abram A. . . . 223
Clayton, Charles T 207
Crawford, Charles V 310
Cawley, W. H 304
Childs, Henry J 296
Curtis, Henry H 275
Campbell, Prof. William ... 1011
Campbell, Jas. Wall Sehurenian 266
Chandler, E. D 265
Corlies, W. 1 864
Cooper, Thomas W 863
Clinton, William 856
Curtis, Henry H 275
Coriell, Samuel C 523
Chandler, A 660
Cook, Henry B 147
J)ANGLER, Philip .... 871
De Witt, Peter .... 315
Degenring, Jacob 301
Davis, William Henry .... 2.S0
Damerest, David D.,D.D.,LL.D. 276
Dunlop, William A 265
Davis, O. E 243
Deinzer, George H 229
Denise, John Henry . . . 219
De Hart, Stephen H 191
Doughty, Joshua, Jr 372
Dungau, Nelson Young ... 371
Du Bois, Rev. Benjamin . . . 370
Du Bois, Livingston 369
De Graw, Hon. Frank E. . . 349
Drake, Charles 447
Danz, Mrs. Lena H 438
Dalton, Frank 427
Dunn, .Jr., James 415
Donohue, Frank M 156
Daly, Peter Francis 146
De Nise, Hon. David Deiiiorest 96
Denelsbeck, M D , J. G. . . . 903
Davidson, John H 936
Dayton, Edward E 946
Donahue, John A. . . . 959
Dougherty, James 1031
^
10
Table of Contexts.
Fay, James 933
Forman, John 929
Fisher, F. Williams 970
Francis, Charles Asa .... 969
Farrow, E. F 965
Fay, George DeAVitt, M.I). . 467
Fleidner, Randolph 460
Farry, Edward 835
Fare, A. B 815
Flanagan, John P 8o4
Field, Henry 487
Fields, Houston 1003
Freeman, S. E., M.D '787
Force, Albert L 774
Freeman, M.D., Otis Kussel . 663
Farley, Edgar VV 731
Fisher, Charles 508
Fay, Eugene 632
Fay, Thomas P 633
Fick, Peter W 729
Fisher, Dr. Claudius R. P . . 329
Fee, John, Jr 857
Feihle, Abram 533
Field, Benjamin M 652
Furman, Edwin 848
Q.EURIN, Claude V. ... 642
Grove, Harry B 517
Green, Adam 756
Glenn, James M 803
Gordon, James H 5()0
Green, Col. E. S 486
Griggs, Benjamin K 477
Green, Capt. Geori^e .... 557
Gill, Rev. William 1 397
Gulick, Alctander 702
Greenwald, Charle.s 726
Giles, Howard 793
Giles, Samuel S 781
Gibson, Fred. J .5(i2
Gray, Henry 978
Gray, Alvah 444
Getsinger, Herman 282
Grace, Tobias 363
Gandrum, George 244
Gravatt, Samuel 872
( iarrettson, Henry S 788
Guire, Jolm 922
Dayton, Spencer 979
Dayton, Herbert 980
Deitche, John J 1012
Denike, Willett 518
Demarest, William H 493
Dealamau, Adam 792
Decker, Dr. Dayton E. . . . 791
De Mott, J. K 782
Davis, Walter W 654
Davis, Rev. T. E 648
Dilts, George A 732
De Groff, Capt. William . . . 636
De Voe, August A 623
Dally, Rev. John W 615
Day, George William .... 754
Duryee, William B 657
Dickson, John 889
Davison, Robert 898
Dahmer, John S 640
^NGLISH, M.D., David C 507
Ely, Andrew 664
Ellis, John 720
Emmons, E. H 684
Emeiy, Thomas J 547
Eastbum, Lewis D 822
Eckert, Adam 971
Erhart, John 943
Kn=;gn, Samuel E 003
Ellis, Charles 176
Esburg, Isaac B 190
Elkins, Charles E 278
Elmendorf, John E 255
Rlgar, Milton A 858
Errickson, Richard \ 853
Enright, John 313
Euright, James, Jr 992
Edwards, Charles L 580
Klkins, Isaac L. F .580
JpRELINGHUYSEN, Du-
mont 316
Forman, Samuel R 206
Flynn, Dr. Thomas H. . . . 377
Farrington, Martin Luther . . 453
Farrington, Southwell Unyce . 102
Griffin, William 8-54
Grant, Hon. William H. . . 1030
Gallagher, Thomas 455
rjARVEY, David, Jr. . . . 352
Hummer, A 382
Hunt, John Ely 398
Hoxsie, Bismarck 179
Hoagland, G. G., M.D. ... 194
Hoskins, Wilmer E 208
HUls, Daniel Henry 247
Higgins, Dr. Archibald Alexan- der 287
Hagerman, Richard R. . . . 254
Hennessey, Garrett 410
Harned, Isaac S 821 '
Hull, Henry Augustus .... 819
Hulse, William C 1028
Hults, A. E., M.D 457
Harris, J. N -WO^
Haynes, Prof. John S 541
Hinds, John S 535
Height, George M 931
Horasby, Capt. Samuel W. . . 891
Hanson, John .548
Hartman, Robert 906
Hardenburg, Warren .... 141
Hall, William 131
Herbert, Hon. Charles Biddle . 215
Herbert, George B 1004
Herbert, John Warreu, Jr. . . 119
Herbert, Dr. Ralph Willis . . 666
Howel, Lewis T 86
Howell, Hon. Beujamin T. . . 1010
Howell, Stephen 750
Hubbard, John V 852
Hulsizer, Sidney 878
Houston, Charles A 495
Hopper, Rulef F 608
Harrison, A. C 566
Hanison, John 548
Hill, Rev. Charles E 480
Harkins, Hon. William F. . . 477
Hart, Rev. John 559
Homnumn, Charles Chaimcey . 802
Herson Brothers 804
Harned, Dr. S. P 784
liegeman, I'cnjamiu .\. . . . 1035
^>^
CHAPTER III.
PROPRIETARY RULE — PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT — COUNTY FORMATION.
KING the period of proprie- tary control the settlers were engaged in making roads, and liad two absorbing topics for discussion : land claims, and ^^^^'^V the East and West Jersey partition line.
The Dutch were the fn-st road builders in the county, and their main highway, although but a narrow road, was from Elizabethtown, through Woodbridge and Piscataway, to Inian's Ferry, now New Brunswick, and known as the Upper Road. The next road was the Lower Road, leaving the Upper Road west of New Brunswick, but finally running from that city through Cranbury to Bur- lington, on the Delaware. All others, except the Raritan road, from Piscataway to Somerset county, were mere cart-ways. Proyincial Government— The change from the rule of the proprietors to that of the crown brought no blessings to the people, who, with increasing nuudjers, grew more restless luider arbitrary invasions of their liberties. In 1712 two additional roads of importance were laid out, a road along the Minisink Indian path, and the Mid- dlebush road, from New Brunswick to Middlebush, and probably to Millstone, in Somerset county. Numerous local roads were opened and Middlesex county, about 1776, had become one of the wealthiest counties of New Jersey.
County Formation. — The territory of the county under the Dutch in l()(il was placed within the jurisdiction ol' the town of Bergen, and in 1675 the legislature declared that " Woodbridge and Piscata- qua be a county," but they failed to give the new county a name. This nameless state of county existence came to an end in 1682, when the general assembly of East Jersey divided their wlu)le province into four counties : Bergen, Essex, Mid- dlesexand Monmouth. Middlesex county was " to begin from the parting line be- tween Es.sex county and Woodliridge line, containing Woodl)ridge and Piscata- way, and all the plantati(jns on botii sides of the Raritan river as far as Chesquake harbor eastward, extending southwest to the division line of the province and northwest to the utmost bounds of the province." In March, 1088, Somerset was set off from Middlesex county, and in 1838 a part of the county was taken to help form Mercer, while in 1800 a part of Woodbridge townshii) was given to the city of Rah way and Union county. Against these losses of territoi-y but one accession is to be recorded, and that was a small portion of Plain field township, Union county, which was given to Pis- cataway township in 1871. Tlie bound- ary lines of the county have been defined and changed b}^ acts of legislature in the years 1710, '13, '90, 1822, '55 and '58.
21
CHAPTER IV.
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
LTHOUGH the Revolution- ary period properly com- meiioed in Middlesex county, upon receipt of the news of the battle of Lexington by the general committee of cor- respondence, appointed by the representative convention, which met at New Brunswick, July 21, 1774, yet for nearly a hundred years the education of the people for that event had been progressing under parliamentary task- masters. The second colonial conven- tion, under the name of the Provincial (Jongress of New Jersey, met at Trenton in 1775, and appointed a committee or council of safety to act during the recess of its sessions. Tlie second Provincial Congress, met at New Brunswick, in Feb., 1770, deposed the royal governor, and formed an independent state govern- ment. Middlesex, from the May days of 1775, had borne well her part in the great struggle, and Washington, after his reverses on Long Island and at New York, retreated, (m Nov. 28, 1770, to New Brunswick, which he was compelled to evacuate, Dec. 2. 1770, just as the IJritish appeared in sigiit of the pl.ace.
Tiie Britisii occupied New Brunswick from Dec. 2, 1770, till June 22, 1777, and, during their period of occupation, spoliated si.\ hundred and fifty persons, l)urned one hundred dwellings and mills, and di'stroyed property in Middlesex
county to the value of $040,005. The population of the county did not exceed twelve thousand, and the householders, on whom tliis loss fell, did not number over two thousand. A record of these damages is preserved in the state library at Trenton. A bright tribute to the pa- triotism of the county, during tliis period when it was being ravaged and plundered by the British, is recoi'ded in the state- ment that among the names of one thou- sand disaffected New Jerseymen returned to the council of safety, but twenty-six were inhabitants of Middlesex.
Soldiers from the county served bravely from Long Island to Yorktown, and we liave record of two generals, Nathaniel Heard and Jolin Neilson ; and four col- onels, Jacob Ilyer, John Taylor, 'Robert Taylor, and John Wetherill, who were from Middlesex county. The county also furnished eight lieutenant-colonels, nine majors, sixty-one captains, seventy- two other odicers, and nine hundred and seventy-four privates. Besides these, there were others who served whose names have not been j)reserved.
Of the people of Middlesex county during the Revolutionary war, Charles 1). Deshler says: "In all the qualities which constitute manhood they were rich be^'ond precedent, and they remain at this da}' the best models for our imitation, in all tliose solid and unobtrusive virtues which make a vigorous and great people."
CHAPTER Y.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
HE Rovoliitionary war in- terrupted colonial growth in New Jersey, and at that time no count}' in the state was in a more prosperous condition than Middlesex. After the close of that great strug- gle no county in the commonwealth was in worse condition from British ravages than Middlesex, yet her people went to work manfully to retrieve their wrecked farms and shattered fortunes, and in less than ten years were so far successful that old farms were repaii'ed and improved, new ones cleared out, and tlie population had increased nearly five thousand.
Old roads were widened and new ones made, and turnpikes were projected about the time that the suliject of a canal was discussed. The Delaware and Raritan canal was completed from Bordentown to New Brunswick in 18-34, and an im- mense tide of travel from Philadelphia set in through the county to reach New York city. The Camden and South Ani- boy railroad, also finished in 1834, helped in transporting passengers and freight, and fiuMiished an outlet to the inliabi- tants of the county and their products. Succeeding the construction of the canal came the building of the early railroads. and the development of the marl beds
and clay pits. Tlie count}' was holding well its own in growth and wealth among the other counties of the state, had been but little affected by the war of 1812, although its coast was subject to invasion from British vessels that sought to de- stroy its commerce, but received a tem- porary clieck in the great finiincial panic of 1857.
Next came the political agitation of 1860, and the great rising war-storm of the succeeding year checked in Middle- sex, as in every other county of the state, all growth and progress, and shat- tered alike sober calculation and gilded day-dream. The latter part of this pike, canal and railroad period, stretching for nearly three quarters of a century through peaceful times, was now to be succeeded by the civil war pei'iod, whose results were to work wonderful changes in the political and civil institutions of the nation. But the close of the latter period was followed by a renewed spirit of business and commercial activity, and this gave rise to enterprises of various magnitude, especially in the line of manu- facturing and agricultural industries, until the internal improvements developed to the present time, and the material resour- ces so largely augmented since, have made Middlesex second to none of her sister counties.
23
CHAPTER YI,
THE Cnil, WAR.
EAUREGARD'S circling bat- teries opened fire on the walls ol' Fort Sumter, aroused a storm of indignation through- out the north, and when Lincoln issued his procla- mation for seventj-five thou- sand men, no state responded more heartih' than did New Jersey. Un- der tliis call Middlesex county had no oi-ganized compan\', but many of her sons served in companies from other counties. Under the second call Companies C, E, F, and G, of the First New Jersey infan- try, were from Middlesex county. The First regiment was drilled and trained under the dauntless Kearney, and on a score of liard-lbught battle-fields did credit to that knightly soldier. It fought bril- liantly from Manassas Gap to Appomat- tox and made an imperishable record for bravery. Those of Company C who gave their lives were : Corporals John Faller, John J. Perry, and Henry Ilallman ; pri- vates, Thomas Conover, James Cox, Wil- liam Hamilton, John O'Neil, C. H. Rob- erts, Joseph Stafford, and David B. Tap- pan.
The mortuary list of (.'onipany F was: Corporals Miles Garrigan and 13. F. Mof- fett; privates, P. P. Blake, Richard Barr}-, James Burns, Ambrose Boyce, George A. Dunn, Patrick Dunn, Alexan- der Dobson, George W. ilooker, John 24
Morris, D. B. S. Prall, and George Wil- son.
The death-roll of Company G was : Privates (Jeorge R. Buzzee, John Buck- ley, William Mesrole, T. F. Phillips, and Peter Rausch.
Companies A and B, of the Ninth infantry, were recruited in Middlesex county. The Ninth regiment partici- pated in forty-two battles and engage- ments, and is one of the regiments of which New Jersey will alwajs be proud. The mortuary roll of Company A was : Privates William Clayton, Thomas Du- gan, John Scully, Salter S. Stults, and William H. Silvers.
The mortuar\' list of Company B was : Sergeant F. M. Hoyes ; privates, Ferdi- nand Disbrow. and Thomas B. Moore.
The Fourteenth regiment was rai.sed largely outside of Middlesex county. The full companies from thiscouiily were C, D, E, I, and K. The Fourteenth fought with great bravery in many bat- tles under Grant and Sheridan, and iielped to save Washington city at the battle of Monocacy. The mortuary list of Company D was: Captains J. W. Con- over and Henry D. Bookstover; Lieu- tenant Henry J. Conine ; privates, William Addison, J. J. Armstrong, Rol> ert Barker, W. H. Bills, Peter Brown, William Church, George H. Camp. An- drew J. Estell, James Estell, William
Historical Sketch.
25
Gorman, James Hawkins, Edward Ha- vens, W. H. Lewis, Levi Martin, Robert H. Runyon, W. A. N. Shores, D. P. So- den, and Jeremiah Van Dusen, and Cor- poral Henry Van Kirk.
Company E lost Cornelius Bayard, John B. Dunham, and Elmer Noe.
The loss of Company I was : Joseph Bruce, Abraham V. Pardun, Jefferson H. Rogers, Samuel B. States, Henry Smith, and Jacob Wilson.
The mortuary list of Company K was : Corporals Isaac W. Meyers and David Ryno ; privates, Daniel Carver, William Culver, J. T. Disl)row, Henry Daly, David Calligan, J. M. Hagaman. Luke Stout, A. P. Schenk, Van R. Ten Broeck, John Ten Eick, Stephen Voorhees, William Van Duyn, and James Wesscll.
The Twenty-eighth regiment was large- ly recruited in Middlesex county. The following companies — B, C, D, F, I, and K — were entirely raised in the count}'. The Twenty-eighth regiment, although serving but nine months, acquitted itself with honor, fighting bravely at Fred- ericks))urg and Chancellorsville. The regiment was mustered into the service at^Freehold, New Jersey, Sept. 22, 1862. Its field officers were as follows : Colonel, Moses N. Wisewell ; Lieutenant-Colonel, E. A. L. Roberts ; Major, S. K. Wilson ; Adjutant, William A. (Julick; Chajjlain, C. J. Page; Surgeon, William D. Newell; Assistant Surgeon, Benjamin N. Baker.
The I'ogiment, nine hundred and forty strong, left Freehold on Oct. 4, 1802, and reaching Washington on the night of the 5tli, encamped on Capitol Hill. On the morning of the loth it crossed into Vir- ginia and was attached to General Aber- crombie's command. On the first of De- ceiuber it again broke camp, and crossing into Maryland, marched to Liverjjool
Point, on the lower Potomac, whence, on the 5th, it crossed to Acquia creek, and in the midst of a driving snow storm, went into camp uutil the 8th, when it proceeded to Faliuouth. Here it was at- tached to the First Brigade (General Kim- ball's). Third Division (General French's), Second Army (Jorps.
During the whole time that the regi- ment was attached to tlie Army of the Potomac it held a position in the imme- diate front, within a short distance of the Rappahannock, aud was, consequently, at all times exposed to attack l)y raiding parties of the enemy.
At the battle of Fredericksburg this regiuient signally distinguished itself by exceptional galhiiitry, aud Colonel Wise- well was severely wounded aud carried from the field.
The casualties of the regiment were as follows : — Company B : Corporals W. R. Herron and W. V. P. Davison ; pri- vates E. P. Gavitt, Thomas Jolly, W. H. Rogers, and John Thompson.
The mortuary list of Compan\' (" was : Sergeant Henry Brantingham ; (Corporal J. R. Field ; privates George D. Boice, C. D. Green, Aaron H. Lane, J. F. Lang- staff, W. C. Merrell, Martin McCray, Au- gustus Ryno, p. F. Runjon, David S. Smith, and Charles W. Toupet.
The loss of Company D was : Benja- min P. Combs, George W. Cunnnins, John French, T. M. Ilolcomb, William Marsh, Francis Oliver, Henry Quinn, John Reed, and C. B. Wilson.
Company F lost the following men: Ulrich Brobell, Joseph Cutter, John C. De Witt, Charles D. Oilman, Patrick McGrail, and David G. Welsh.
The loss of Company K Avas: Aln'a- ham Arose, Jolm Durham, Thomas Dunn, Isaac McGravv, and Charles Smith.
CHAPTER VII.
LATER RAILWAYS — RUTGERS COLLEGE — NEW INDUSTRIES — COUNTY PROGRESS.
.^.
wajf rapid
X )N after the war, railroad Imildiiig was resumed with increased activity tliroughout the coun- try, and Middlesex ccnmty was not neg- lected"^. With the build- ing of the later rail- tlic county was placed in easy and communication with all sections of the country. Including the earlier rail- roads, the principal railways now are : the Camden and Amboy, New Jersey. Central of New Jersey, Bound Brook and Eastern, Perth Amboy and Eliza- beth, Rocky Hill, and Freehold Exten- sion.
Rutgers College. — Although chartered in 1770, and one of the older colleges of the United States, yet Rutgers College, known as Queen's College up to 1825, did not prosper in the interests of the Dutch Reformed church as was expected by its founders. In 18G5, the State Col- lege of New Jersej' was organized as a department of Rutgers College, and from that J'ear, Rutgers has taken high rank among the colleges of the United States. The college was named for Col. Henry Rutgers and an interesting history of it is given by Dr. T. S. Doolittle in the " History of Union and Middlesex (Joun- ties."
26
New Industries. — Since the late civil war, many old industries have attained a new lease of life, and some new ones iiave come into existence. Of the older industries having a great development, may be named those using the plastic clays, the others manuf\icturing rubber goods, and the marl business. Of later industries, are the many new manufac- tures established within twenty years; cranberry cultivation, and the manufac- tories of electric machinery by the " Wiz- ard of Menlo Park." Among the great manufacturing centres of the state are: New Brunswick, noted for India-rubber goods ; Perth Amboy, celebrated for stone-ware and fire-l)rick ; and South'Am- boy, well known as a leading shipping [)()int ft)r coal.
County Progress. — The progress of the county has been slow, but steady and substantial. With great resources not yet fully developed, the future wealth of Middlesex county will come from farm and mine, from shop and factory, and from clay-pit and marl-bed. The educa- tional progress and moral growth of the people have kept pace with the wonder- fid development of material resources, and the ra[)id up-buildiug of manufac- turing industries, and future power and greatness seem assuicil fi'oin present wealth and intelligence.
CHAPTER YIII.
CITIES AND TOWNSHIPS.
fllE city of Perth Amboy, whose Indian name was Onibo, or Onipoye (mean- ing an elbow), and whose eai'ly designations by the colonists were Amboyle and Emboyle, has the honor of being the second seat of govern- ment for East Jersey. It was laid ont in 1683, incorporated as a city in 1718, and has increased in population from 815 in 1810, to over 8,000 in 1896. While not fulfilling the extravagant ex- pectations of its founders in surpassing New York city and becoming the metrop- olis of the new world, yet being healthy, and possessing a fine harbor, it has be- come a leading city and a great railroad centre of the state, with large stoneware and fire-brick industries.
Of the early settlers ))ut little account can be found, and of the two hundred Scotch that came over in the " Henry and Francis," in 1685, but few remained in the place. Churches were established at an early day, but the earliest record of a school is in 1765, and it was in con- nection with St. Peter's church. Thomas Johnston taught in the court-house in 1774, and his assistant, a Mr. Garrick, succeeded him. Nearly a hundred years afterwards, in 1870, the board of educa- tion was organized, and since then an excellent system of public schools has
grown up, and retlccts credit on the cit^^ The first court-house was burned in 1766. and its successor Avas finally sold, while the first jail was burned and the second torn down when the county seat Avas removed to New Brunswick. The stocks and pillory accompanying the early court- house are gone, but the militar\' barracks built in 1758 were confiscated to the United States in 1783. The post-office was established about 1694, the Middle- sex County State Bank was organized March 14, 1872, and the custom-house dates back to Aug. 14, 1687, while the fire department was not effectively or- ganized until after the Revolution. Tliree great railways give Perth Amboy trans- portation to all the inland cities of the United States and Canada, and it has communication by water with all the ports and markets of the world.
New Brunswick City. — The site of the city was originally known as Pridmore's Swamp, where Daniel Cooper, by tradi- tion, was the first settler. John Inian came in 1681, and established a ferry whose name was soon applied to the up- springing hamlet. The name of Inian's Ferry clung to the place after it liad grown to some size, and the first mention of the name of New Brunswick in con- nection with the town was in 1724. Six years later there was a Dutch emigration from Albany, N. Y., of several families,
27
Historical Sketch.
who built up Albany street. New Bruns- wick was incorporated as a city in 1784, and in 1801 a new charter was obtained. In 1828 New Brunswick had but 5,000 population, and in 1830 was a great depot for the wholesale grain trade, and since the coming of the first railway train in 1830, lias grown wonderfully in importance antl wealth.
New Brunswick has good land and water communications, possesses large manufactories of India-rubber goods, wall paper, machiner}-, buttons and hosier}^ and is the seat of Rutgers College, one of the oldest institutions of higher learn- ing in the United States. The city is well provided with churches. Of its early schools i)efore 1800 hut little is known. The Lancasterian school was established in 1803, and since 1855 the pid>lic schools have advanced rapidly under the management of the" board of education. Rutgers College was estab- lished in 1766, the Theological Semi- nary was projected in 1755, and in later years two young ladies' seminaries, a grammar school and a con.servatory of music were among the educational ad- vantages added to the city. New Bruns- wick has an eflicient fire department, banks, insurance companies, water-works, and all the conveniences of a modern city.
Woodbridge Township. — Tiiis township was chartered June 1, 1009, and named after Rev. John Woodbridge, of New- bury, Mass. Sandy, pipe, and laminated clays, and micaceous and laminated sands are found. Clay-pits and feldspar and kaolin mines arc operated. Obadiah Avers, Jonathan Ilaynes, and Ephraim Andrews settled in the township in 1073, and by IGSO cpnte a number of families were settled. In 1G82 a hundred acres
of school land were ordered to Ije laid out, but no teacher is mentioned until 1689, when James Fullerton was to be enter- tained as school-master. John Brown and John Backer were next mentioned as teachers. Woodljridge Academy' was built in 1793, and Elm Tree Institute was opened in 1822, while the Barron Library, containing over 3000 books, was dedicated in 1877. The towns and ham- lets are : Woodbridge, Uniontown, Ford's Corners, Houghtonville, East Wood- bridge Edgar, and Leestown, of whose history there is but little mention. Wash- ington visited Woodbridge in 1789, and fiai'ayette passed through in 1824.
Piscataway Township. — This township was incorporated in 1798, whileits records date back to 1G95. The name was given by associate purchasers, wdio were natives along the Piscataqua river, in New Eng- land. In course of time the spelling was changed to the present form. Amtnig the early settlers were the Gilmans, in 1605; the Blackshaws, Blackwells, Drakes and Hendricks, in 1077; and the Dotys and Wolfs, in 1G78. The principal villages are : New Market, once called <iuibbletown ; Duuellen, a neat and tasty place with picturesque sceuer\' surrouiul- ing; and New IJrooklyn and Samptowu. The first .school was taught at " Piscata- way town," in 1G82, and the first two teachers were a Mr. Cordon and James Fullerton, who taught in the New Brook- lyn district. The Duuellen school dates back to 1800, when it was taught by Ransom Downs, a Yankee peddler. The town.ship is well supplied with churches.
North Brunswick Township. — North Brunswick was takt'U from Piscatawav township soon alter the erection of the county. The earliest centre of settle- ment seems to have been at Tliree Mile
Historical Sketch.
29
Run, where an ancient Refonned Dutch church stood in pioneer days. The soil of the township is productive, and grist- and saw-mills were built at an early day. The Parson's Brookfbrd snuir-inills, near Milltown, were started prior to 1856, the Meyer rubber-shoe plant was commenced at Milltown in 1843, and the Voorhees Station tanner}' was in existence before 1800. The township poor farm was bought in 1817. and in 18G0 went to the city of New Brunswick. Milltown was, prior to 1843, known as Bergen's Mills, and is now a prosperous place. Living- ston Park is a hamlet north of the centre of the township. Three old taverns built before 1800 were the Red Lion, Black Horse, and Brunson. There is but little to be found about the early schools, and their teachers or masters. The first ap[)ropriation for poor children was in 1827. when |500 was voted for that purpose.
East Brunswick Township. — East Bruns- wick was formed February 28. 1800. from Monroe and North Brunswick townships, and but little is on record of its early settlers. Hartsborne Willett came in 1720, and for the next twenty years set- tlement was very slowly made. Sand, clay and kaolin beds are in different parts, and have Ijeen operated for many years. The fruit culture and trade, intro duced by Samuel Whitehead, was at its heiglit in 1850, while ship-building was commenced in 1824 by Jonathan Boora- men, at Washington, where schooners of three hundred and fifty tons have been launched. James Perry, Peter Corme, and Thomas Hays formed the Forge com- pany, which had a forge in 1750, near the site of the De Voe snuff' factory, and snuff' manufacture was introduced about 1830, bv Daniel Snowhill and William
Dill. Washington, the most populous village in the township, was founded in 1720 by Hartshorne Willett, and for many years was a great wool, grain, and ship- building centre, while to-day its leading industries are ship-building, brick-making and shirt-manuiacturing. Spottswood, on account of its excellent water-power, was a manufacturing centre as early as 1750, when the Forge company had theii- works there, and to-day is one of the most important of the snuff' manuffictur- : ing towns in the United States. The j other villages of the township arc Old Bridge, or Herbertsville, once a ship- building centre ; Milltown, mostly in Noi'th Brunswick; Bloomfield's Mills and Dunham's Corners. Nothing seems to have been preserved of early schools and teachers. Spottswood for some years was an educational centre, with Ward's ' Academy and a branch of Rutgers Col- lege established there.
South Brunswick Township. — South Bruns- wick, the largest township in the county, was one of the earliest townships formed. Crossed by pikes, railways, and a canal, its people are well provided with out- lets to markets. Of its early settlers but little information can be obtained. Jediah Higgins was here in 1700, but undoubtedly settlers had come some years before him. The principal villages are Kingston, where a church and school were organized in 1723 ; Mapletown, named for the Maple family; Dayton, named in honor of William L. Dayton ; Dean's Station, named for Abraham Dean; Plainsboro, dating back of 1800; Gray's MilLs, named for Alexander Gray; and Monmouth Junction, Franklin Park, Fresh Ponds, and Rhode Hall. The earliest school was at Kingston, as early as 1723, but nothing has been preserved
30
Historical Sketch.
of its history, or the histories of" the other early schools of the township.
Monroe Township. — On Feb. 23, 1838, Monroe was taken from South Amboj- township. Among the early settlers were : James Johnstone, who settled in 1685, on the Manalapan ; William David- son, about 1G8G ; the Mounts, and James Perrine. There were distilleries at an early period, and of the later industrial enterprises the most important are the Downs & Finch fancy shirt manufactory, founded in 1871, at Jamesburg, and the Magee & Buckalew foundry, built in 1878, at Upper Jamesburg. The villages and hamlets of the township are : James- burg, Ibunded in 1792, as Endsley's Mills, successively known as Mount's Mills, Gordon's Mills, and Buckalew's Mills, and given its present name, in 1847, in honor of James Buckalew ; Union Valley, founded in 1855; Hall- Acre, named from the old Halt-Acre tavern ; Red Tavern, founded before 1800 ; Prospect Plains, and Hoft'man's and Tracey's stations. Of the ])ioneer and early schools no definite information can be obtained, and the academic school known as Jamesburg Institute was opened in 1873. In 1867 the New Jersey State reform school was opened near Jamesburg, on a farm of four hundred and ninety acres that had been purchased for that purpose.
Madison Township. — This township was formed from South Amboy, March 2, 1869. The first land-owners were not settlers, and the Browntown neighbor- hood seems to have been first settled, but there is no account of who they were or when they settled. The wood and timber trade was important in early days, and then came the clay industry, with its numerous pits and mines, which are operated now on a large scale. Snuff
manufacture commenced about 1825. Dill snuff mill was built in 1830, and the Tecumseh snuft" mills were erected in 1854. The Bloomfield Mill Company was organized in 1872, and commenced the manufacture of licorice, using an- nually 5,000,000 pounds of licorice-root, imported from Spain and Asia Minor. The villages of MadLson township are : Jacksonville, once called Cheesquake ; and Browntown, which has hardly out- grown tire proportions of a hamlet. The earliest schools were at Jacksonville and Browntown, but neither local history nor traditions give time or teacher.
Soutli Amboy Township. — South Amboy, originally a \vM-i of Piscataway township, was organized about 1685, and from its territory have been taken Monroe, Madi- son, and Sayreville townships. One of the earliest settlers was Lazarus Wil- murt. Claj' pits and potteries are ope- rated at different points, but the progress of the township has depended largely upon the growth and prosperity of the village of South Amboy, which, in 1806, contained only three houses, and the old Rattoone tavern was one of them.- The growtli of South Amboy village com- menced in 1806, when Samuel Gordon, Sr., established a line of sloops between the village and New York, and placed a line of stages on the road between South Amboy and Bordentown. Daniel Wilmurt the next j'ear bought a half interest in Gordon's hotel property, that was owned by the Herberts, which he afterwards sold to Gordon, and theu started an opj)osition hotel and sloop and stage lines. The railroad came in 1833, and twenty years later building loans were formed, and were the factors of the l)i'esent substantial progress of South Amboy, which is now an important rail-
Historical Sketch.
31
way centre and the leading coal-sliipping port in New Jersey. The earliest school in the township, of which there is any account, was opened in the old Union chapel in 1841, and the present public schools compare Aivorabl}' with those of any other township in the count}'.
Raritan Township. — This township was Ibrnied from parts of Woodbridge and Piscataway townships, March 17, 1870. Of the early settlers, were the Fitz-Ran- dolph and Stelle families, and John Mol- leson, Robert Webster, Henry Lang- staft', Hopewell Hull, Benjamin Hull and Samuel Walker. Very fine fire-clay beds are in the township, and have been mined for several years. A copper mine near the site of Menlo Park was discovered in 1784, and worked for but a few years. About 1880, Thomas A. Edison cleaned the mine out and commenced working it to procure copper for his factory. The villages of Raritan township are : Bon- hamton, named for Nicholas Boidiamton, who settled there in 1082; Piscataway, dating back to 1068; Metuchen, named for the Indian chief Metuchen, and founded before 1701 ; Menlo Park, founded by the celebrated Thomas A. Edison, who has his great factory there ; and Ford's Corners, New Durham, New Dover and Stelton. Schools were established early, the Piscataway town school-house being built in 1095, and since then the educational interests of the township have kept pace with those of the adjoin- ing townships. :
Sayreville Township. — Sayreville town- ship was Ibrmed from South Amboy, April 0, 1876. Lands were taken up as early as 1083 in this township, yet local writers place the first settlement as being
made in 1770, and name Elijah Disbrow as one of the earliest settlers. E.xtensive clay and sand beds abound, and (juite a number of clay pits and sand banks have been opened. The villages of Sayreville township are : Sayreville (once Rounda- bout), named for James R. Sayre, Jr., and growing up under the intluence of an extensive brick industry carried on there ; Burt's Creek, famous for George Such's great green-houses ; and Mechan- icsville. Nothing definite is on record of the early schools, and the township now contains two school districts.
Cranbury Township. — This townsiiip was Ibrmed from South Brunswick and Mon- roe townships, March 7, 1872, and was named from Cranbury brook. Thomas Grubbs was one of the early settlers, and built a grist-mill before 1741, a Presby- terian congi'egation being organized prior to 1739. Prominent members of this congregation were : C(X'rt Van V^oorhees, Thomas Storey, James Rochead, Nicho- las Stevens, Peter Perrine, John lirown and William Magee. The leading in- dustrial establishments of the township are : the Bergen carriage and wagon fac- tory, the American steam coflbe and spice mills, and the Cranbury shirt factories. The villages are : Cranbury, taking its name from Cranbury brook, and founded prior to the Revolutionary war ; Cran- bury Station, on the Camden and Amboy division of the Pennsylvania railroad ; and Plainsboro, founded about 1800. The first schools in tiie township were kept at Cranbury village, and the earliest re- membered teachers were John Campbell, in 1805, and John Van Kirk, in 1805. The township now has five well-3up- ported puljlic schools.
CHAPTER IX.
BENCH AND BAR OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
^^g^^f N tlie 19th of June, 1G8M k?ii V tin> {\ygi county court of Middlesex, was held at Piscataway. The second county court Avas held at W(x)dbridge, Sept. 18, 1(183, and thereafter was held alternately at Pis- cataway and Woodbridge, until June 28, 1G88, when a session was held for the first time at Perth Anilioj', and thereafter until IGUO the courts were held altern- ately at Woodbridge, Piscataway and Amboy. From 1708 and long after, courts were held at Amboy only. The first court-house and jail was built at Perth Amboy between the years 1717 and 1720. The courts were then trans- ferred to New Brunswick in Januar3'. 1778, and mention is made in July ot the same year of a court-house there, which' was the British barrack building. It was a stone structure, si.xty by one hundred and forty feet, and answered as court-hou.se and jail until 17'.tr). when it was burned. A iK)rtion of the stones were taken the next year to build a jxiil on Paterson street.
The first record wc have of the names of counsellors being called in the courts of this county was at the General Quar- ter Sessions of the i^eace, held at Perth Amboy, in Sept., 1708. They may have practiced at an earlier date even than this, 32
perhaps, ])eginning soon aftci- the opening of the courts in the reign of Queen Anne, but the recoi'ds being missing from the close of the proprietary government till the year 1708, there are no means of as- certaining whether there were lawyers or not in the courts prior to the latter year. Among those that appeared alter this date, were Francis Sites, John Lofton, Corse Froam (probably Vroom), and An- drew Gordon.
From 1741 to the commencement of the Revolution we find the following lawyers practicing in the courts of the county: — Philip Kearney, 1741; John Smyth, 1741; Francis Costigin, Richard Williams, John Price, John Lawrence, and Messrs. Rosevelt and Patrick McEw- ers, 1741-42; Cortland Skinner, Lewis IMorris and David Ogden, 1742; Messrs. Lyne, Lurtin and Anthony White, 1748; Barnardus Lagrange, 1745 ; Klisha Park- er, 174() ; Messrs. Lewis M. Ashlield and Coxe, 1748: Peter Kindjle and Anthony Waters, 1749; Messrs. Kelley, William Pidgeon, R. Lawrence, Jacob De Hart, Al)raham Cottman, from 1750 to 175o ; Thomas Kennedy, 1754 ; Richard Stock- ton, 1755; James llude, Jr., 17()0; Coi'- nelius Low, 17(10; William Thompson, Jonathan De Deare. G. Ross, Klias Hou- dinot, Ravand Kearney, 1702-0o; Ja.s- per Smith. Kphriani Anderson, James Graham. Mr. Wardell, 1703-04.
Historical Sketch.
33
Judges of the Common Pleas since 1683.
— Samuel Dennis, John Palmer, 1683 ; Samuel Dennis, 1084-87 ; Samuel Win- der, 1688; Andrew Hamilton, 1688-93; John Imians, 1693-97; John Bo3'ce, 1697; Samuel Dennis, 1698-99; Peter Sonmans, 1708-9; Thomas Farmar, 1710; Elisha Parker, 1711-14 ; Adam Hude, 1715-20; Michael Veghte, 1718; Wil- liam Ejer, 1719; Robert Hude, James Thompson, Henry Freeman, Ezekiel Bloomfield, Benjamin Hall, Samuel Nevil, James Hude, John Heard, James Smith, Jeremiah Field, Richard (Jutter, 1741; Pontius Steele, 1742; Stephen Warne, 1743; John Nevill, Nicholas Everson, Runie Runyon, Thomas Gach, 1746 ; William Hutchinson, 1747 ; Wil- liam Cheesman, Jedediah Higgins, 1748; James Nelson, Josiah Davidson, John Batley, 1749 ; Abraham Lane, Jonathan Frazee, 1751; William Heard, 1754; Nehemiah Dunham, William Crawford, 1760; James Parker, Thomas Walker, 1761; Samuel Barren, 1762; Evert Van Wickle, Esq., 1796-1803; Jonathan Combs, 1796-1801; Ercuries Beatty, Jonathan Bloomfield, 1796; Ezekiel Smith, 1797; Elijah Philips, 1798; Henry Marsh, Esq., Thomas Stelle, Sam- uel Randolph, 1799; John Rattoone. Daniel Agnew, John Dey, Ichabod Pot- ter, 1801 ; Benjamin Lindsay, John James, 1803; Samuel Randolph, Na- thaniel Hunt, Thomas Hill, 1804 ; An- drew Rowan, Thomas Hance, Henry Freeman, William Tindell, Asa Runyon, David Durham, 1806 ; Ichabod Potter, John Rattoone, John F. Randolph, John L. Anderson, 1807 ; John Lewis, Robert McChesney, Jacob Van Wickle, 1808 ; John James, Samuel F. Randolph, 1809 ; William Tindell, Asa Runyon, Joseph McChesney, Andrew Rowan, Henry Free- 3
man, Thomas Hanco, Benjamin Mundy, John Anhalt, Ephraim Harriott, 1811 ; John Vhit, George Boice, Jr., Andrew Elston, Nathaniel Hunt, 1812; David Chambers, Jacob Van Wickle, Robert McChesney, John James, 1813; John Fitz Randolph, 1814 ; William Tindell, Robert Arnold, John Smith, 1815; Asa Runj'on, Joseph McChesney, Thoinas Hance, Benjamin Mundy, 1816; George Boice, 1817; Nathaniel Hunt, Robert McChesney, 1818; John N. Simp.son, 1819; John Gillman, John Smith, James Harriott, Joseph McChesney, 1820 ; Ben- jamin Mundy, N. Booream, Ji-., Bedford Jol), Jacob Van Wickle, 1821; Nathaniel Hunt, 1822; R. McChesney, 1823; Sam- uel Stelle, John Gillman, 1824; John M. Cheney, James Harriott, Ichaljod Potter, 1825 ; Jacob Van Wickle, Joseph Ford, N. Booream, Thomas Hance, William B. Manning, 1826; Roln-rt McChesney, 1828; N. Booream, John B. Mount, James Harriott, John S. Van Dyke, 1829; Simeon Mundy, .Toseph McChesney, Wil- liam B. Manning, IchalxMl Potter, 1830; Jo.seph Ford, Thomas Hance, 1831; John Van Wickle, 1832; Peter P. Runyon, Simeon Mundy, M. Mundy, 1833; A. W. Brown, William B. Manning, James Harriott, Samuel C. Johnes, 1834 ; Jared I. Dunn, John S. Van Dyke, Ichabod Potter, Jcseph McChesne}-, 1835; F. Hardenburgh, Joseph Ford, John La Tourrette, C. M. Campbell, John Perrine, Jr., 1837; Jonathan Booream, Jacob Van Wickle, D. W. Vail, 1838; Peter Duncan, John B. Mount, Edgar Free- man, 1837 ; Peter P. Runyon, Simeon Mundy, Peter P. Measserell, 1838 ; Isaac Story, A. D. Titsworth, 1839; Joseph Ford, Ichabod Potter, 1840; Charles Abrahams, 1841 ; Ellis I. Thompson, John La Tourrette, Edgar Freeman,
34
Historical Sketch.
Haley Fisk, John Perrine, Jr., Peter Duncan, 1842 ; Jonathan Booream, Thomas Potts, Peter D. Messerell, Sim- eon Mundy, Peter P. Runyon, D. Fitz Randolph, Jacob Van Wickle, Bergan Scott, James Harriott, James Conover, Andrew Agnew, Joseph McChesney, Matthias Brown, Alanson Newton, 1843; John S. Cruser, M. Mundy, F. Stults, Peter Cortelyou, Asher Martin, S. G. Delth, James N. Wam, Francis Huffman, John Van Breeke, 1844 ; John Perrine, 184G; A. D. Titsworth, 1847; Edgar Freeman, 1848; D. Fitz Randolph, 1849; Peter D. Runyon, 1850; Alanson New- ton, 1851 ; A. P. Droast, 1852 ; Bethel Ward, 1853; James C. Goble, 1854; Abram P. Punost, 1857; Joel B. Laing, 1858 ; John Perrine, 1859 ; A. P. Speere, Dayton Decker, 1862 ; Charles T. Cowen- hoven, H. H. Brown, 18G9; Elihu Cook, 1872; A. D. Brown, 1873; Woodbridge Strong, Andrew J. Disbrow, 1874; Charles S. Scott, 1877 ; Charles F. New- ton, 1878; Andrew K. Cogswell, 1879- 82; Chas. T. Cowenhoven, 1885; J. Kear- ney Rice, 1890 ; Woodbridge Strong, 1896. Members of the Bar since 1800. — Joseph Wanvn Scott, 1801-1804 ; Jacob R. llar- denburg, 1805; Cornelius L. Harden- burg, 1812; John S. Nevius, 1819; Lit- tleton Kirkpatrick, 1821 ; John S. Bhiu- velt, 1825; George Richmond, 1825; William H. Leupp, 1827; George P. Mol- leson, 1828; Robert Adrain, Jr., 1830; Benson Milledoler, 1830; George H. Vroom, 1833; Henry V. Speer, 1834: John Van Dyke, 1836 ; John C. Elmdorf. 1837; Edward S. Vail, 1842; Abraliam V. Schenck, 1843; John G. McDowell, 1838; Charles S. Scott, 1844; Warren- burg, 1848; William Hartough, 1849; Alexander ('. Stark, 1850; Benjamin K. W. Strong, 1S52; George C. Ludlow,
1853; George R. Dutton, 1857; J. Elmer Stout, 1857; Charles I.Rutgers, 1866; Charles Morgan Herbert, 1860 ; Charles Morgan, 1860; Joseph J. Ely, 1860; Herbert Stout, 1861 ; Theodore Strong, Jr., 1861 ; J. Randolph Appleby, 1862 ; Henry L. Van Dyke, 1862 ; Samuel M. Schenck, 1862; Jonathan Dixon, Jr., 1862-05; Oliver E. Gordon, 1864-67; Chas. T. Cowenhoven, 1865; Jas. H. Van Cleet', 1867; Beasley Mercer, Jr., 1865; Edward Wood,Wm. Disborough, Alpheus Freman, George W. Atherton, George Berdine, 1875; Daniel B. Boice, 1870- 73; A. K. Cogswell, 1870-75; J. V. DeMott, 1877 ; Silas D. Grimsted, 1872 ; Howard McSherry, James Nielson, 1871- 74 ; William Reiley, Jr., 1869 ; Charles H. Runyon, 1876; J. Kearney Rice, 1876; William Stoddard, 1877 ;' David
A. Storer, 1877; Edward W. Strong, 1875; Allen H. Strong, 1877; Willard P. Voorhees, 1874 ; M. Bedell Vail, 1879 ; H. Brewster Willis, 1881 ; J. W. Beek- man, 1875-78; J. M. Chapman, 1846; William Patterson, 1838; Ephraim Cut- ter, 1877; Charles Morgan, 1860; A. S. Cloke, 1862; John S. Voorhees, Theodore Booream, Fred. Weigle, John E. Elmen- dorl', Freeman Woodbridge, Chas. Herbert, Chas. C. Hommann, Adrian L_)on. Henry
B. Cook, J. P. Keenahan, Ed. W. Hicks. Surrogates. — J. Phineas Manning, 1804;
John Heard, 1806-26 ; Charles Carson, 1826; David Menenan, 1826-31; Little- ton Kirkpatrick, 1831-36; James C. Kabriskle, 1836-41 ; Josiah Ford, 1841- 46; James C. McDowell, 1846-51; Tlu'ophilus M. Holcombs, 1851-64 ; Robert Adrain, 1864-66 ; William Dun- ham, 1866-67; F. Shurerman Holcombs, 1867-72; William Reiley, Jr.. 1872-82; IJeiijamin F. Howell, 1882-92 ; Leonard Freeman, 1892.
CHAPTER X.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION — EARLY PHYSICIANS — LATER PHYSICIANS.
Dunliaiu,
[N the first Tuesday of May, 1 816, the following physicians ' and surgeons of the county met at New Brunswick and organized " The Medical So- ciety of the State of New Jer- sey :" Drs. J. Van Cleve, Lewis Augustus R. Taylor, Jacob Dunham, Enoch Wilson, Nathaniel Man- ning, Ralph P. Lott, Ephraini Smith, James Elmdorf, Charles Pierson, Ferdi- nand Schenck, Joseph Quinby, William D. McKissack, Matthias Freeman, John Reynolds, Samuel Foreman and Wil- liam McKissack. Of this meeting. Dr. John Van Cleve was unanimousl}' elected chairman, and William McKis- sack secretary, and the folhjwing were named as managers : Drs. Augustus R. Taylor, Lewis Dunham, John Van Cleve, Jacob Dunham, Nicholas Belleville, Wil- liam McKissack, Nathaniel Manning, Enoch Wilson, Charles Smith, Peter J. Stryker, Matthias Freeman, Ralph P. Lott, Moses Scott, Cliarles Pierson and Ephraim Smith.
It was resolved that county or dis- trict societies be appointed in tlie coun- ties of Middlesex, Somerset, Monmouth, Essex and Morris. The following phy- sicians were appointed : Lewis Dunham, Joseph Dunham, Enoch Wilson, Matthias Freeman, Charles Smith, Nathaniel Man- ning, Ralph P. Lott and John Van Cleve.
They were to hold their first meeting on the second Tuesday of June next, at ten o'clock A. M., at New Brunswick. The next at the time and place specified, and organized the first medical society of the county. Dr. Charles Smith was elected president, Matthias Freeman, vice-presi- dent ; Jacob Dunham, treasurer, and John Van Cleve, secretary. A committee appointed for the purpose reported a set of by-laws, which were adopted, and the society was on a firm foundation. Among the fii'st presidents of the society, we note the following: Charles Smith, Mat- thias Freeman, Nathaniel Manning, Ja- cob Dunham, William Van Deursen, Josiah B. Andrews and Charles Smith. Others followed, and the society llouri.shed and did much towards building up the profession of medicine in the county until 1846, when it ceased as an organization. In 1857 it was, however, reorganized. An account of this reorganization, taken from the minutes, is appended : " New Brunswick, Jan. 21, 1857. A meeting of phj'sicians of Middlesex county hav- ing been called for the purpose of organ- izing a medical society. Dr. Augustus F. Taylor was appointed chairman, and Dr. Henry R. Baldwin secretary. It was unanimously resolved that we, the phy- sicians of Middlesex county, <lo hereby organize the ' District Medical Society of this county and adopt its constitution
35
36
Historical Sketch.
and by-law8."' A committee was ap- pointed to meet the State Medical Society at Trenton. Among the first presidents of the reorganized society were the fol- lowing: Augustus F. Taylor, Clifford Morrough, J.T. B. Skillman, H. M Strjne and Henry R. Baldwin.
Ear/y Physicians. — Henry Greenland, Moses BU^omfield, John Cochran, Edward Carroll, Henry Drake, Lewis Dunham, Jacob Dunharn, Melancthon Freeman, Isaac Harris, Adam Hay, John John- stone, Lewis Johnst^jne, John Lawrence, Nehemiah Ludlon, Nathaniel Manning, Rev. Rolxjrt McKane, Alexander Ross, Moses Scott, Hezekiah Stiles, Augustus F. Taylor, Augustus Fitz Randolph Taylor, John Van Harlingen, Cornelius Johnson, Henry Dulxjis Leffert.s, Ralph P. Ixjtt, Selah Gulick, Henry B. Poole, Chas. McKnight Smith, E. Fitz Randolph Smith, John T. B. Skillman, William Van Deurwn, Samuel Al>ernethy.
Later Physicians. — Charleg Smith, Mat- thia- Fneriian, Nathaniel -Manning. .]iicj)\> Dunham, William Van Deursen, Josiali B. Andrews, Charles Smith. Jacob Dunham, U-wis A. Hall, J. T. B. Skill- man, James Clark, F. R. Smith, Charles Smith, I^iwis Drake, F. R. Smith, Samuel Aljernethy, Ellis B. Freeman, John II. Van Deursen, A. D. Newell, Ellis B. P'reeman, Augustus F. Taylor, Henr}' R. Baldwin, ClilJbrd Morrogh, II. M. SU^ne,
Ezra M. Hunt, A, Fregemowan, Charles Dunham, Jr., Charles H. Voorhees, S. St. John Smith, D. C. English, Rush Van Dyke, C. M. Slack, W. E. Mattison, Nicholas Williams'jn. T. T. Deven, P. A. Shannon, C. H. Andrew.?, J. W. Rice, John Van Cleve, L. F. Baker, J. S. Mar- tin, S. E. Freeman, George W. Stout, J. W. Meeker, David Stephens, George G. Clark, John A. Poole, Garrett P. Voor- hees, F. R. Smith, Henry M. Stone, J. C. Thompson, Joseph S. Martin, F. S. Bar- barin, Chas. Dunham, Jr., T. T. Deven, .Vjlomon Andrews, George McLean, Lewis Drake, Ellis B. Freeman, William Forman, H. D. B. Lefferty, S. Abernetby, G. J. Janeway, J. 0. Thom[).son, H. M. Stone, J. S. Martin, Ezra M. Hunt, R. I. Benjamin, J. J. Demotte, C. H. Voorhees, J. W. Meeker, John Helrne, A. P. Knap- pen, D. C. English, S. V. D. Clark, R. Vandyke, H. T.^ Pierce, William H. Wil- sfjn, C. M. Slack, T. L. Janeway, II. B. Garner, J. B. Wainwriglit, Clifford Steele, Dr. Rush, J. F. M. Donahoe, John S. Van .Mart<-r, G. T. Applegate, T. V. Meacham, Edgard Carroll, Samuel Long, Henry Baldwin, John ('•. Wil.son.'F. M. Bnu-e, S. D. Blm-kwell, J. E. Riva, R. O. B. Burnett, Caroline Marsh, William Knight, I. T. Spencer, Dayt^jn E. Decker, S. P. Ilarned, J. D. Ten Eyck, J. How- ard Cooper.
CHAPTER XI.
C H I' R C H E S .
E jrivo the toUowing list oC ihuivhos with the name of the city or towiisliip in whii'h they aiv k>oated, and the year ot" their organiza- -^ -• --^ " tion since UU>0 :
Presbyterian. — Wood- bridgt\ llHiO: First Xew Brnnswiok. 1720; Fii-st Cranburv. IToO ; Metuchen at Karitan. prior to 1700: Second Cran- bnry, 1S3S ; Jamesbnrg. MonixH\ lSo4 ; Fii-st Sleuth AnilK\v. at South Anibov. 1SC4; Dayton at South Xew Brunswick. 1SG9 : Piscataway at Piscataway. 1870. Baptist. — Stelton at Karitan." 1080: Ilightstown at Cranbnry. 1740 : Fii-st X\nv Brunswick at New Brunswick, prior to 178o : Xew Bivoklyn at Piscata- way. 1702 : Pertlj Anilxn" at Perth Ani- bov, 1818 : Washington at East Bruns- wick, alnnit 1843; Georges Road at North Brunswick. 1843: Independent Bethel at East Brunswick. 1844: Piscataway at Piscataway. 1852 : Fii^st Smith Aniboy at SinitJi Aniboy, 1871 ; S«.voiid New Brunswick at New Brunswick. 1872: New Brunswick (^coUuvd) at New Bruns- wick. 1870.
Episcopalian. — St. Peter's. Perth Ani- boy. 1008; Trinity. WvXHlbridgi\ 1711: St. James". Raritan. bet'oiv 1717; Christ. Xew Brunswick, Ivloiv 1744; St. Peters East Brunswick, 1757; Christ, Smith
AnilKn-. 1853; St. John's (EvangeHcall, New Brunswick, 1800; Holy Trinity. SayiwiUe, 1800: Doan Memorial Chapel, South Amlx\v, 1800; St. Luke's. Raritan, 1800; Holy Innocent. Piscataw.iy. 1872; Holy Civss. Perth Amboy. 1878.'
Friends. — WiKnU^ridge at Woodbridge, 1080-1700; Raritan at Raritan. 1731.
Seventh Day Baptist. — Piscataway at Piscataway. 1705.
Reformed Dutch. — First New Brunswick, Xew Brunswick, 1717 : Spottswood. East Brunswick. 1821 ; Tliiixi New Bruns- wick, 1851 ; Fii-st Metuchen, Raritan. 1857: St. Pauls, East Brunswick, 1872.
Old Church. — Plainslxn-o", Smith Bruns- wick. 1770.
Methodist Episcopal. — Shiloh at New Brunswick, 1700; Woinlbridge at Wo<.Ki- bridge, Ivfoiv 1820 ; Bethel. South Bruns- wick, 1812 ; Perth Aniboy at Perth Ani- boy, 1813; Mount Zion ^^colol•ed), New Brunswick, 1827 ; Si^>uth Anibov at South Amln\v. 1832 ; Sayivville at Sayivville, bi't'oiv" 1842; Mil'ltown, North" Bruns- wick. 1844 ; Cranburv at Cranburv. 1847; Madison at Madison, bel'oiv 1850; X"ew Dover, Raritan, liet'oiv 1850; Washing- ton, East New Brunswick, liet'oiv 1800; Raritan, New Brunswick, 1853; Simp- son, East Brunswick, 1800; St. James, New Brunswick, 1800; Centenary. Rari- tan, 1800 ; Newtown, Piscataway, 1800 ; S^iottswotxl. East Xew Brunswick. 1873.
38
Historical Sketch.
Catholic. — St. Peter's, New Brunswick, before 1825 ; , Perth Amboy, be- fore 1844 ; St. Mary's, South Amboy, be- fore 1849; St. John the Baptist, New Brunswick, 1865 ; St. James the Minor, Woodbridge, before 1867; St. Francis, Raritan, 1873; St. John the Evangelist, Piscataway, before 1880.
Jewish. — Aushe Emet Synagogue, New Brunswick, 1861.
Methodist Protestant. — South Amboy at South Amboy, 1866 ; Fresh Ponds, South Brunswick, 1880.
Lutheran. — Perth Amboy at Pertli Am- boy, 1869; Emanuel, New Brunswick, 1878.
Danish Methodist. — Perth Amboy at Perth Amboy, 1868 ; St. Stephens, Perth Amboy, 1871.
HiSTOEiCAL Sketch
OF
Monmouth County, New Jersey.
OHAPTEE I.
GEOGRAPHY — TOPOGRAPHY — GEOLOGY.
RREGULARin shape and most northern of the sea- board counties of New Jersey is Monmouth coun- ty, which is bounded on the north by Raritau bay; on the east by tlie Athm- tic ocean ; on the soutli by Ocean county ; on the south-west l)v Burlington county, and on the north-west by Mercer and Middlesex counties. It is situated between seventy-three degrees and fifty-five minutes and seventy-four degrees and thirty-five minutes west longitude from Greenwich, England ; and forty degrees and three minutes and forty degrees and thirty minutes north lati- tude. The geographical centre of the county is northeast of Freehold and near the boundary line of Atlantic township, in whose central part it is supposed to be the centre of population.
Topography. — The county is marked by a variety of surface ; hills from three to
four hundred feet in height occupy tlie northern part, while a high-rolling up- land constitutes the south-western part; a vast area of barren land called the " Pines " region comprises the south- western part. Isolated hills are in vari- ous elevated parts of the county.
The drainage of Monmouth county is principally to the east and into the At- lantic ocean by the Navcsink, Shrews- bury, Shark and Manasquan rivers and their tributaries, while in the southwest the Metedeconk river has its headwaters, and in the south-west, west and north are several creeks, that flow respectively into the Delaware river, the Millstone river and Raritau and Sandy Hook baj's. Professor Cook says these rivers •' have no apparent connection with the geologi- cal structure of the couiitry," and are merely channels worn in the surface and " following lines of most rapid descent to the tide-water." Many of these rivers for some distance from their mouths are ' 39
40
Historical Sketch.
" broad and lake-like sheets of navigable water. "'
Geology. — Muiuuouth county, except- ing a small area in its south-eastern part, lies in the cretaceous formation, which in New Jersey consists of a series of strata having a south-east dip, and " lying smooth and parallel like the leaves of a book." The lowest strata of the creta- ceous formation in Monmouth count}' is the plastic clays that have their out- crop chiefly north-west of the county. The next strata, the clay marls, have their outcrop along the north-western border-line of the county. The lower marl-bed is a stratum of green sand marl, well exposed in Middletown, Marlboro', Holmdel, Freehold and other townships, and its extensive and profitable use in farming has led to its development at many places in the county. The middle marl-bed extends as a belt of varying width from Long Branch to the south corner of Upper Freehold township, the upper marl-bed or highest strata consist- ing of green sand and separated from the middle marl-bed by a layer of yellow sand, and extends in a belt of regular width across the south-eastern part of the county.
The extreme south-eastern part of the county is the Tertiary formation.
To give a better idea of the geological structure of Monmouth county, we give the following outline of the five geologi- cal a^es :
Groups of Rocks. Systems of Strata. IV. Neozoic Cnew life). 2. Quarteruary.
1. Tertiary. III. Mesozoic (middle life). 3. Cretaceous.
2. Jurassic.
1. Triassic.
II. Pahezoie (aucieut life). 5. Carbuiiiferuu.s. 4. Devoniau.
3. Upper Silurian.
2. Lower Silurian. 1. Cambrian.
I. Archreau (beginning). 2. Huronian. 1. Laurentian.
\Yhen used as divisions of time, group names designate eras of time and system names designate geological ages.
Pre-historic time has been divided by De Mortillet into three ages: stone, bronze and iron, and the first or stone age em- braces three periods :
1. Etholithic, or fired stone.
2. Pala?olithic, or chipped stone.
3. Neolithic, or polished stone.
The archieology of Monmouth county lies wholly within the age of stone as con- fined to the palaeolithic and molithic periods, and the art products of its al> original inhabitants are represented by articles in stone, clay, bone and 'shell, which are mute witnesses of a period of human existence back of the scope of written records, and supply a means of tracing the pre-historic man in his con- quests over nature along the northern New Jersey sea-coast until the time when history takes up the thread of his career in a race with tradition, but no civilization.
CHAPTER II.
INDIAN OCCITPATION — DUTCH DISCOVERY — MONMOUTH PATENT.
F tlie Imliiiu occupation of Moninoiith county, after the coming of the wliite man, but little can be learned at this late date, as the early historians of New Jersey failed to preserve much knowl- edge of camp and trail, and of hunting- ground and village, while tradition has not supplied what histoiy neglected. Monmouth county was occupied by sev- eral tribes of the Turtle and Turkej'^ branches of the Delaware nation. Of these tribes were the Assanpinks, Matas, Shackamaxons, Chichecpiaas, Raritans, Nanticokes, and Tutelos ; but the Rari- tans were by far the most numerous in the county, and their chiefs or leaders were called " the Raritan Kings." South- ern and other Indians from a distance came to the sea-shore to get oysters, clams, sea-fish, fowls, and shells for the manufacture of wampum or Indian money, that was circulated as far Avest as the Rocky Mountains. These tribes, with the remainder of the Delaware nation, were tenants-at-will of the noted Iluron- Iroquois, or Six Nations, of central New York. Scarcity of game had driven the Raritan Indians to the sea-coast at the time when white settlements were com- menced in the county.
There were two main Indian paths and quite a number of villages in Mon- mouth county. The Minisink path came
from Minisink on tlie upper Delaware? crossed the Raritan three miles above its mouth, and ran by Middletown and Clay Pit creek to the mouth of the Navesink river. The other path was known as the Burlington path. It came by two branches to Crosswicks, passing through the southwestern townships to Freehold, and from thence passed to Middletown, where it united with the Minisink path. A branch left the Burlington path below Freehold and ran to Long Briinch, while several small paths, whose names are not preserved, led to different places on tide- water. There were several small Indian towns or villages in the county, of which the name of one has been preserved, while all other sites remain unknown. Seapeckameck Indian town, the one pre- served in name only from oblivion, was mentioned in county records in 1676, l)ut no reference was given of its location.
The New Jersey authorities always re- quired the fair purchase of the Indian title before settlement was made, and by 1758 the Indians had sold all the lands in the county, reserving only some hunt- ing and fishing privileges, which were bought in 183"2 by the New^ Jersey legis- lature for two thousand dollars from forty Indians in Wisconsin, who were the only descendants living of all Rari- tans in Monmouth county. Among the last Indians in the county were Indian Peter and Queen Bathsheba, the latter of whom was here as late aa 1802, when
41
42
Historical Sketch.
the New Jersey Indians were removed to New York.
Dutch /?/scot'e/'/.— AltliOLigh Cabot sailed along the sea-coast line of Monmouth county in 1497, and Verrazani in the " Dolphin " passed in sight of the shore in 1524, yet it remained for Henry Hud- son in the " Half Moon," on Sept. 5, 1609, to land a boat crew and become the first real discoverer of the county. Three days previous, his underchipper, Robert Juet, on sight of the Navesink highlands, wrote in the log-book : " This is very good land to fall in with, and a pleasant land to see ; " and a day later, John Colman was slain in a fight with Indians, and his remains interred at a place they named Col man's Point, in honor of his memory. By the virtue of Hudson's discovery, the Dutch claimed the territory of New Jersey as a part of New Netherlands, but never made any settlement in Monmouth county, only coming there to trade with the Indians.
The right of the Dutch to New Jer- sey was contested by the ilnglish, who made their first attempt to take posses- sion, on June 21, 1634, when the " Pro- vince of New Albion," comprising New Jersey, and parts of New York, Penn- sylvania, Delaware and Maryland, were granted to Sir Edmund Ployden on con- dition that he settled three thousand able trained men in said province. Ployden was made Lord Palatine, with power to grant manors and confer titles, a scheme of government resembling the " Grand Model" of the Carolinas. Ployden, in 1640, came to New Jersey and built a block-house called Fort Erewomee, at the mouth of Salem creek on the Delaware river, but his infant colony, although re- inforced by some New Haven men, was broken up and scattered by the Dutch in
1642. Ployden was unable to efiiect awy settlements, and New Albion met its fate at Fort Erewomee, on the " great manor of Watcessit," the residence of the Lord Palatine.
Monmouth Patent. — Before the conquest of New Netherlands, English residents at Gravesend, L. I., and Newport, R. I., in Dec, 1663, had visited the territory of the county, and commenced negotiations with the Indians for the purchase of land. The Dutch interfered, and the matter rested until after the English conquest, when, on April 8, 1665, Gov- ernor Richard Nicolls granted the INIon- mouth patent, embracing all the territory of the present county of Monmouth, ex- cept Upper Freehold and a part of Mill- stone township, besides parts of Ocean and Middlesex counties, to William Goulding, Samuel Spicer, Richard Gib- bons, Richard Stout, James Grover, John Bown, John Tilton, Nathaniel Silvester, William Reape, Walter Clark, Nicholas Davies and Obadiah Holmes, who were English, Quaker and Baptist residents of Long Island and New England. These patentees, by the terms of the patent, were to defend their lands against all enemies, and were to " have free liberty of conscience without any molestation or disturbance whatsoever in their way of worship." The patentees were required to purchase the land from the Indian sachems, and had purchased three necks of land on the sea-coast from Popomora and other Indian sachems, who were brought to the hall of the old State House in New York city, to signify their assent to the purchase before Governor Nicolls would sign the patent. " This patent granting," Salter says, " was a memorable scene, well worthy of the ellbrts of a painter."
CHAPTER III.
COUNTY FORMATION — ENGLISH CONQUEST — ENGLISH, SCOTCH AND DUTCH
SETTLEMENTS.
|HE settlements of Middle- town and Shrewsbury had grown to such a size that on Nov. 13, 1875, they were combined and temporarily made a count}^ for judicial pur- poses, and given the | name of Nevasink, although in some instances it was designated as the county of MiddletoAvn.
Eight years later, in March, 1783, Monmouth county was erected as one of the four original counties of New Jersey, the other three being Bergen, Essex, and Middlesex. Monmouth county was so named at the request of Col. Lewis Mor- ris, then the most influential citizen within its boundaries, and who had come from Monmouthshire, a rich and beautiful county in the west of England. The boundaries of Monmouth county, as stated in 1783, enclosed a large area of terri- tory, but were very vague. Subsequent acts of the legislature, passed in 1709, 1714, and 1822, contained provisions in connection with the adjustment of the boundary lines.
In territory Monmouth coimty has lost largely since 1683. A large part of Mon- roe toAvnship was added to Middlesex count}^ in 1844, given back the next year, and in 1847 a small triangular piece was transferred permanently to Millstone
township. After this slight addition the county remained unchanged in boundary lines until 1850, when the southern part, containing more than one-half of the total area, was set off as Ocean county.
The creations of townships have been as follows, from the three parent town- ships of Middletown, Shrewsbury, and Freehold, which were erected Oct. 31, 1693 : Upper Freehold was taken from Freehold and Shrewsbury prior to 1730. In 1749 and 1707, Stafford and Dover townships, now a part of Ocean county, were taken from Shrewsbury. Howell township was carved out of Shrewsbury, Feb. 23, 1801 ; Jackson, now in Ocean county, was taken from Freehold, Upper Freehold, and Dover, in 1844 ; and Plum- stead and Union, formed in 1845 and 1846, are now parts of Ocean county. In 1848 Marlborough and Manalapan town- ships were taken from Middletown, and Raritan was set off from Freehold. Three years later, in 1851, AVall township was taken from Howell; and in 1857. Mata- wan and Holmdel were set off from Raritan.
The next township erected was Lin- coln, which was formed in 1867, from Ocean, but whose territory was restored in 1868, and Lincoln is the lost township of the county. The youngest townships of Monmouth county are Eatontown and Neptune, which were formed from Ocean
43
44
Historical Sketch.
township, respectively, in the years 1873 I and 1879.
English Conquest — Aftor the lailuie of Ploj'den and his .self-instituted order of knightliood — " tlie Albion Knights of the Conversion of the Twenty-three Kings " — to settle New Jersey, the English made no further attempt in that direction, and in 1664 won by arms what they had failed to secure by settlement. In Sept., 1664, the Duke of York granted the country between the Hudson and the Delaware to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, after which the country Avas named New Jersey, because he had defended the island of Jersey during the civil war in England. Carteret's share of the grant was East Jersey, and in- cluded all the territory of Monmouth county.
English, Scotch, and Dutch Settlements. — Prior to 1004 a Diiteh vessel was stranded on Sandy Hook, and a Dutch woman, Pen- elope Princess, stayed with her sick hus- band while tlie other passengers started by land to New Amsterdam. The sick man was killed by the Indians, who left the woman for dead, but she recovered under the hands of a compassionate In- dian, and afterwards became the wife of Richard Stout, one of the patentees and also one of the earliest settlers. The twelve patentees purchased the three
necks of Nevasink, Namarumsunk, and Pootapeck from the Indians, and founded English settlements, in 1665, at Middle- town, in Nevasink, and Shrewsbury in Namarumsunk, which in five 3-ears had increased to over one hundred families.
The Scotch in 1682 commenced set- tling Freehold township, the northwestern part of the county, and founded Matawan under the name of New Aberdeen. In 1685 these refugee Scotch Quakers and Scotch presbyterians received an acces- sion of persecuted covenanters, and by 1700 the Scottish settlements had in- creased to such an extent in population that the Scotch exercised considerable power in the county. Their early leaders were John Reid, George Keith, Thomas Lawrie, and John Barclay, and came into the county [)rincipally l)y the way of Perth Am boy.
The third and last element of popula- tion, of any size, that came into Mon- mouth county, was the Dutch, who came al)out 1090 from the western towns of Long Island, and confined their settle- ments to no particular section. They had splendid farms and large barns, and Ellis says : " They were the descendants of the only people who were free when they colonized New York and New Jer- sey, and were the only original republi- cans and democrats of America."
CHAPTER IT.
PROPRIETARY AND ROYAL PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT.
'WNERSHIP of the soil and right of govern- inent were subjects of contention in East Jer- sey from 10 G4 to 1775. The whole trouble arose from the unwise and un- just course pursued by the Duke of York, afterwards James II. The people settled under the NicoUs patent, and paid the Indians for the land. They opposed and resisted Carteret's proprietary claim of government as well as of soil ownership. Monmouth and Essex counties were particularly aggres- sive in this contest. Under the Nicolls patent, a legislature was called and met from 1667 to 1670 or '71, at Portland Point, being composed of mem1)ers from Middletown. Shrewsbury and Portland Point. In 1673 the Dutch captured New York, and held rule over New Jersey for a few months. When the English came into control again James IT. tried to force the proprietors of both West and East Jersey to surrender their provinces to the Crown, and had about succeeded, when the Prince of Orange drove him from the throne of England, and tlie proprietors held on to their authority for some years longer. Monmouth county sent dele- gates to the proprietary assemblies of East Jersey, but they never would take that part of the oath recognizing the pro- prietors as owners of the soil.
After Sir George Carteret's death, in
1681, William Peini and eleven others purchased East Jersey. Some years later the new owners sold one-half of their interest to twelve others, and these twenty-four found the government so dif- ficult and unsatisfactory, that in 1702 the}^- resigned all rights to the Crown. East and West Jersey then became New Jerse}', and its succeeding chapter of his- tory is to be told as a royal province.
Royal Provincial Government — The first royal governor was Lord Cornbury, whose rule was one of weakness, and he had as one of his principal opponents Col. Lewis Morris, of Monmouth. Lord Cornbury was succeeded in 1708 by Lord John Lovelace, whose successors were : Gen. Robert Hunter (1710), William Burnett (1720), John Montgomerie (1728), Col. Lewis Morris, acting (1731), and Col. William Cosby. In 1738 New Jersey was separated entirely from "New York, and its royal governors were : Col. Lewis Morris, John Hamilton, acting (1746), Jonathan Belcher (1747), Fran- cis Bernard (1758), Thomas Boone (1760), Josiah Hardy (1761), and Wil- liam Franklin, from 1762 until 1776. The royal governors were but little more successful than the proprietary executives in quelling the provincial revolt in Mon- mouth county and eastern New Jersey, I where an additional source of strife was the contest between the English and 1 Scotch settlers for civil supremacy and political power.
45
CHAPTER Y.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE REVOLUTION — PROTECTION PAPERS — BATTLE OF MONMOUTH — PINE ROBBERS.
5/ LTHOUGH New Jersey had Ik^V^^ her committee of corre-
■~vl (spondence in regard to parlia- mentary usurpation as early as 1774, yet it required the news of Lexington and Bun- ker Hill to rouse the state into armed opposition. Local patriot committees were formed early in 1775 in all the Monmouth townships except Shrewsbury, where the tory and quaker peace elements prevented an organization for over five months. Monmouth county raised her full quota of militia, under continental and state calls in 1775 and
1776, and when Washington retreated from New York, across the " Jerseys " in
1777, many of the New Jersey troops, whose time had expired, returned home, the state then coming under British control.
Protection Papers. — Howe issued pro- tection papers to all I03 al subjects, and those others who would renounce alle- giance to the Continental Congress, but his Hessian mercenaries could not read English, and plundered tory and protec- tioner the same as whig and rebel. By their depredations and atrocities com- mitted in Monmouth, and all other coun- ties of the state, the Hessians and British soldiery caused a second rousing of the spirit of national independence. Wash- 46
ington, after his successful Trenton and Princeton campaign, took position at Morristown, and reclaimed nearly all of the state. He also issued a proclamation for all protectioners to swear allegiance to the United States, or else retire within the British lines ; an excellent measure, which ridded Monmouth count}' of many tories. During Washington's Brandy- wine campaign, and Valley Forge winter of sufiering and privation, the New Jer- sey militia was sufficient to hold the state, and keep in check British and tory raids from Staten Island.
Battle of Monmouth.— The battle of Mon- mouth, on June 28, 1778, which was fought on the soil of this county,' was one of the hottest and most closely con- tested battles of the Revolutionary war. The coming of the French fleet and army in 1778 rendered Clinton's evacuation of Philadelphia a necessity, and he retreated leisurely across New Jersey, lying two days at Monmouth, now Freehold, to rest and recruit his troops from fatigue and the excessive heat. Hearing before that Gates was marching to join Washington, Clinton abandoned his contemplated march by New Brunswick, and started for Sandy Hook bay, by the way of Mon- mouth. On the morning of the 28th Clinton started his long baggage trains in advance, and protected them by the fin-
Historical Sketch.
47
est troops of" his army. Washington, against the advice of General Charles Lee and a few other officers, proposed to attack the British at some point on their line of retreat, and sent Lee forward to commence an attack at Monmouth. Lee's troops attacked Clinton and threatened his trains, which caused the latter to at- tack the Americans, in order that his baggage might reach a safe distance. Lee, in direct opposition to his orders, fell back before the British advance, until Washington came up and re-formed the retreating American columns, which then repulsed all the British attacks. With the appi'oach of darkness Washington was loth to stop the battle, which was now in favor of the Americans, and pro- posed to renew it at daylight ; but dur- ing the night Clinton and Cornwallis stole of^", and made the heights of Middle- town.
General Lee, whom the Indians called •• Boiling Water," deserved the terrible reprimand given him by Washington on the battle-field. If it had not been for Lee's insubordination, either from motives of jealousy or treachery, the battle of Monmouth would have been a decisive victory for the Continental army. Dur- ing his retreat through the county Clin- ton laid waste and ravaged quite a strip of country.
Pine Robbers. — While many tories, who fled to the English, took up arms for England, yet there was another body of refugees, who likewise took shelter on Staten Island and Sandy Hook, where they were protected by the guns of the British fleet. This latter body of refugees were outlaws and murderers, known by the name of " Pine Wood Robbers," from hiding in the pine woods and swamps of Monmouth county. When a proper op-
portunitj' offered they robbed tor}- as quick as whig. They plundered the whigs, and carried their stolen goods and property to New York, where they were purchased by the English. Among the worst of this terrible gang of desperadoes were : Jacob Fagan, Lewis Fenton, Ezek. Williams, Richard Bird, John Giberson, John Wood, John Farnham, Jonathan and Stephen West, Thomas and Stej^hen Burke, Debou, and Dav- enport, of whom several were killed by the militia.
Monmouth Soldiers. — Soldiers from Mon- mouth served in dillerent battles of the Revolution from Long Island to Mon- mouth. The following list of officers from the county is from an official regis- ter : Brigadiei'-general, David Foreman; colonels, David Brearley, Samuel Breeze, John Covenhoven, Richard Poole, Samuel Forman, Daniel llendrickson, Asher Holmes, Elisha Laurence, Nathaniel Scudder, John Smock ; lieutenant-col- onels, Jonathan Foreman, Thomas Hen- derson, Elisha Lawrence, Jr., Joseph Sal- ter, David Rhea, Thomas Seabrook and Auke Wikoff; majors, John Burrowes, John Cook, Dennis Denise, Thomas Hunn, James H. Imlay, William Mont- gomery, James Mott, John Polhemus, Hendrick Van Brunt, Elisha Walton and James Whitlock; captains, David Ander- son, George Anderson, David Baird,
BreAver, Andrew Brown, James
Bruere, John Buckalew, John Burrowes, John Burrowes, Jr., Sanmel Carhart, Thomas Chadwick, John Colaton. John Conover, Joseph Cowpertliwaite, John Dennis, Samuel Dennis, John Downie, Stephen Fleming, Jacob Cohover, David Gordon, Peter Gordon, James Green, Guisbert Guisbertson, Kennetli Hankin- son, and Daniel Hendrickson.
OHAPTEE YI.
THE CIVIL WAR.
e>:^^^^^K AX oxj^iOUTH county, in the /'■'; oreat war for the Union, bore an honorable and patriotic part, and her sons f'onght and fell on a hundred different bat- tle-fields.
Under Lincoln's first call Monmouth men were numerous in Companies A and G, Third New Jersey three months' men, and did g'ood service in covering the retreat from l]ull Run.
Under Lincoln's second call, in 18G1, Company K, Fifth New Jersey three years' men, was raised in Monmouth county by Capt. Vincent W. Mount, Charles P. Layton, Peter Layton, David Le Compte, J. H. Llewellyn, Josejih Orr, J. IL Osborn, Charles Parker, T. F. Rey- near, Peter Soden, Willian) Stillwell, Bar- zillai Taylor, Samuel Taylor, White Van Buren, Thomas J. Wilson.
The mortuary list of Company D was as follows: Sergeant William Church, Corporal Henry Van Kirk, and privates William Addison, J. L.Armstrong, Robert Barker, W. H. Bills, Peter Brown, (). IL Camp, A. J. Estell, W. H. Estell, David Gorham, William Gorman, James Haw- kins, Edward Havens, W. H. Lewis, Levi Martin, Robert Runyon, W. A. N. Shores, D. P. Soden, Joseph Strickland, and Jere- miah Vandusen.
Those who gave their lives in Com- pany G were : corporals J. D. Grifhn, S. 48
R. Jackson ; privates I. L. Anderson, W. H. Airants, John B. Cottrell, Alonzo Emily, Jonathan Erickson, Elliott Fields, George Haley, Josiah Hires, Samuel Hol- loway, D. H. McClain, Asher Pearce, William Reynolds, R. C. Tilton, Benja- min Van Brunt, and John H. White.
The Twenty -ninth New Jersey in- fantry, commanded by Cols. Edwin F. Applegate and William R. Tajlor, was raised, excepting Company H, in Mon- mouth count}^ and served from Sept. 20, 1862, to June 30, 1863. It fought gal- lantlj' at Fredericksburg and Chancellors- ville. The mortuar}- list was as follows :
Company A : Sidnej^ Sumack, Joseph Tallman, James West, Elliott Wolcott, and John B. Wolcott.
Company B : Corporals W. J. Devoe and Andrew J. Wilson.
The battle record of tliis compan_y and regiment was the battle record of the army of the Potomac from YorktoAvn to Fort Morton, Nov. 5, 1864, and com- prised a list of over thirty battles and engagements. The loss of the compau}' was heavy. Those who gave their lives were : sergeants, Thomas H. Estell, B. H. Estell, I. G. Dubois, Samuel Shackel- ton ; corporals, Ilenr}^ Stalil, John B. Clayton ; privates, W. W. Applegate, Al- fred Blake, J. H. Brewer, W. J. Button, Alexander Chapman, G. W. Cook, James Dcmaldson, John Easch, Joseph R. Gol- den, G. M. Ileadden, Frederick Inger-
Historical Sketch.
49
man, George F. James, John Lockersoii, Lewis McBride, Philip Michael, William Moss, Andrew J. Eemsen, Peter Rey- nolds, and James H. Rhodes.
In the Fourteenth New Jersey infantry, commanded by Col. William S. Truex, were three companies, A, D, and G, raised in Monmouth county respectively by Capts. A. H. Patterson, J. W. Conover, and J. V. Alstrom. The regiment was mustered in Aug. 26, 1 862, and served until June 18, 1865, participating in most all of the battles of the army of the Potomac from Mine Run, and in all the hard battles of the army of the Shenan- doah. Major Peter Vredenburgh, a gal- lant officer, and native of Monmouth county, was killed atOpequan.
The death-roll of Company A was : sergeants, W. B. Cottrell, D. A. Carhart. C. H. Stokey; corporals, Joseph Lake, C. M. Potter, J. V. Magee; privates, Abijali Applegate, Henry Borden, Brindley Brand, William Brown, Isaac Clayton, John Cowell, Allen Dangler, Isaac H. Gibson, N. W. Hankinson.
Company C : J. J. Asay, Elias Brewer, Samuel Cromwell, Ephraini Down and Andrew J. Reynolds.
Company D: E. T. Burdge, G. W. Covert, George W. Field, Joseph Marks,
John n. Sherman, John E. Tunis and Benjamin F. Udell.
Company E : Corporal Adams 1'. Combs and Private Samuel Powelson.
Compan}- F : J. L. Atkinson, William Dennis, George Ilankins and George New- man.
Company G : Samuel Beers, James II. Kipp and Leonard Sickles.
Company I : D. A. Herbert, John H. Chasey, Hugh Coffee, Joseph Morgan and Robert Tice.
Company K : James Tilton, Theodore Huft' and Joseph A. Morton.
Monmouth men were in the Tenth, Eleventh, Thirteenth, Twenty - third, Twenty -fifth. Twenty -eighth. Thirty- fourth and Thirt\-fifth infantry regi- ments; Second and Third cavalry, and batteries A, B and D of artillery. Also, of the three thousand New Jersey men in the naval service the county con- tributed more than her quota according to population.
Of those who served in other states we have but little record. One of that number, never to be forgotten, is Lieut. - Col. George W. Arrowsmith, who fell at Gettysburg while leading- his regiment, the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Nt'vv York volunteers.
CHAPTER VII,
TOWNSHIPS AND TOWNS.
I^REEHOLD township is one of 2^ the three original townships of the county by the legisla- tive act of 1693. Reductions of its territory to form other townships have been as fol- lows : Upper Freehold prior to 1730; Millstone, 1844; Atlantic, 1847; Marlborough and Manalapan, 1848.
The pioneer settler of Fi'eehold was George Keith, a quaker, from Scotland, who came prior to 1687. With Keith caiiie a number of Scotch, who were mainly Presbyterians. The villages of the township are : East Freehold, founded about 1839 ; West Freehold, or Mount's Corners, 1800; Smithburg, 1800; Si- loam, 1860; Clayton's Corners, 1858. The earliest mention of a school-house is in 1705, and Henry Perrine advertised in 1778 tliat he would open a Latin school, but of which we have no account. Monmouth battle monument, a splendid piece of costl}' work, was erected in 1884.
Middletown Township. — Middletown is one of the " Two towns of Navesink," and one of the three original townships of the county. The first settlement was in 1664, when John Bowne, Richard Stout and three others came with their families. A block-house was built at the site of the village of Middletown, and a " towne '" mill was erected before 1669. 50
The village of Middletown is mentioned prior to 1670, and its churches are Bap- tist, Episcopal, Presb3terian and Re- formed. The first settlement on the east side of the Highlands of Navesink was before 1812 by Nimrod Woodward, who built a hotel, and the fishing village of Parkertown was built at the head of Sandy Hook bay. The first beacon on the Navesink Highlands was put up in 1746, and the twin light-houses were erected by the United States government in 1826. Navesink village, once Rice- ville, is west of the Highlands, was Ibunded in 1820 by Rice Hatsell, and contains a Methodist church, a Baptist church, an All Saints' Memorial chapel. The Atlantic Highland camp-meeting grounds and Navesink park are on Sandy Hook bay. Leonardsville is on the bay. Port Monmouth is on Shoal harbor, and Leedsville is in the southern part of the township. The remaining villages are : New Monmouth or Chanceville, Morris- ville or Scott's Corners and Chapel Hill. " Refugees' town " was on Sandy Hook point during the Revolution, where Tories and robbers were protected by British soldiers and vessels. The oldest light- liouse in the United States was erected in 1762, on the point which was bought by the government in 1790. The east and west beacon lights were established in 1842, the Sandy Hook light-ship lies
Historical Sketch.
east, and Sandy Hook is used for heavy gun practice by the government. At Middletown village the first English school in New Jersey was tauglit by John Smith, and the old Middletown Academy was built prior to 1851.
Shrewsbury Township. — This is one of the " two Xavesink towns," and parts of its territory have been taken to form Staf- ford and Dover townships, Ocean county, and Upper Freehold, Ocean, Atlantic, Eatontown and Howell townships, this county. The early settlers wei'e from Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Samuel Breeze and Dr. Samuel Fmley, of tliis township, were ancestors of Prof S. F. B. Morse, and Theodosia Bartow, daughter of Theodo- sius Bartow and wife of Aaron Burr, was born in Shrewsbury. Tinton Falls is celebrated as the site of the first iron furnace in New Jersey, which was built by James Grover in 1674, and operated by Col. Lewis Morris as late as 1714, but the neighboring bog iron ore was not in sufficient quantities to pay for working. Parkerville was founded about 1845, and Fair Haven came into existence in 1825. The earliest schools of the township were church schools at old Shrewsbury village before 1720. The friends, presbyterians and episcopalians conducted them.
Upper Freehold Township. — An assess- ment roll of the township for the year 1731 is still in existence, but the date of the original formation of Upper Free- hold cannot be ascertained. Much of the land was patented in large tracts be- tween 1680 and 1690. AUentown, the largest place in the township, was founded by Nathan Allen, who settled there in 1706, and built a grist-mill the same year. Stores, churches, a tilt-mill and a cotton factory were erected in later
years, and AUentown became prosperous, as well as noted for being the birth- place of many prominent political men. The other villages of Upper Freehold are : Arneytown, founded by Friends ; EUisdale, once Gibbstown, founded in 1838; Cream Ridge; Hornerstown, be- fore 1800; Wrightsville, 1738; Imlays- town, before 1800 ; Canton, once Cab- bagetown : and Prospertown, 1881. Schools were opened soon after the first settlements were made.
Howell Township. — Howell township was formed Feb. 23, 1801, from territory taken from Shrewsbury, and the hi.story of its early settlements falls in the nar- rative of the first settlements of the lat- ter township. Farmingdale, the princi- pal village, was known as late as 1815 as " Marsh's Bog," and as Upper Squan- kum from 1819 to 1854. The other vil- lages of Howell township are : Lower Squankum, founded in 1820 ; West Farms, or New Bargaintown, 1830 ; Blue Ball, about 1800; Bethel, 1872; and Jerseyville, or Green Grove, before 1840. There is no record obtainable of the first school or teacher.
Millstone Township. — Millstone town- ship was erected in 1844 i'rom Freehold and Upper Freehold, and from Monroe township of Middlesex county. The village of Perrineville was founded be- fore 1825 by a man from New England, and in a few years became a place of note. Clarksburg dates back to 1820, and was then spoken of as being near the old Willow Tree tavern. Berksville is named after John Berke, who settled there nearly three-quarters of a century ago. Churches and schools came shortl}' after settlements whose history is inter- woven with that of the Freehold town- ships.
62
Historical Sketch.
Atlantic Township. — This, one of the 3'ounger townships, was erected in 1847 from parts of Freehold, Shrewsbury and Middletown, the earliest townships of the county. The principal village is Colt's Neck, the origin of whose name cannot be obtained, although it is spoken of in 1778. The other villages and hamlets are : Scobey ville, founded by Charles Scobey in 1848, and Edinbui'gh, founded in 1882 by the name of Vanderburg post-office. The North American Pha- lanx Society of nearly two hundred people, lived on an experimental farm of 673 acres in this townsliip from 1844 to 1855. This community or colon}-, which prospered for a time, was founded to carr}' out the co-operation ideas of the French philosopher, Fourier.
Manalapan Township. — Manalapan, with- in whose borders is the "Old Tennent Clnu'ch " of Revolutionary fauie and as- sociations, was taken from Freehold town- .sliip in 1848. Englishtown, the princii)al village, was founded before the Revolu- tion, and received its name from James English, who owned the village site. The other villages and hamlets in Manalapan are : Black's Mills, founded before 182.3; Manalapanville, about 1825; and Africa, founded prior to 1840, by colored people. In addition to the early grist mills was Preston's woolen factory, that has been remodelled of late years, and Comb's dis- tillery, built in 1805, and now a part ol Perrine's mills.
Raritan Township. — This township w:ts taken IVoni Middletown in 1848. Richaid Ilartshorne and John Ilawes were among the early residents, the former being at ^Yahake in 1670. The principal villages are : Union city, founded in 1846, with great expectations which have not ma- terialized; Granville, with a post-office
named Keansburg ; and Hazlett station, which dates back to 1876. There are tile and brick works, and a fertilizer factory in the t<nvnsliip.
Marlborough Township. — The townshii) of Marlborough was taken from Freehold in 1848. The fii-st settlement was at Topanemus, and made by quakers, about 1685. The villages of Marlborough are : Marlborough, once Bucktown, the largest village; Robertsville, founded about 183(i; Hillside, or Hulsetown, 1825 ; and Mor- ganville, 1853.
Ocean Township. — This towiislii[) was erected from Shrewsbury in 1849, and from its area wei'e taken Eatontown and Neptune townships. The main place is Long Branch, the great seaside resort.
Wall Township. — Wall township, named after Hon. Garret D. Wall, was erected from Howell in 1851. Purchases of land were made from the Indians in 1685; but settlements seem to have been made some 3'ears later. Manasipian, the most important village, was founded about 1818. Other villages are : New Bedford. Hopeville, and Bailey's and Hurley's Cor- ners. The celebrated summer resbrts in the township are : Spring Lake, Ocean Beach, and Sea Plain.
Holmdel Township. — The territory of this township was taken from Raritan, in 1857, and it is named for the numerous Holmes family, which are descendants of Rev. Obadiah Holmes, one of the Mon- mouth patentees. The only village in the township is Holmdel, once known as Baptisttcjwn, yet its original name was Freehold, as marked on surveys made in 1769. The Holmdel Baptist church is a branch, and one of the centres of the original Baptish church of Middletown, organized with two centres and two houses for worship in 1668.
Historical Sketch.
53
Matawan Township. — This township was taken from Raritan in 1857. The village of Matawan was known in early times as Middletown Point and Middletown Point Landing. A Tory raid was once made on it, and for many years it served as a great market point for an extensive section of countr3^ Mount Pleasant lies near Matawan, and Cliflfvvood is at Matawan Point. Mount Pleasant is re- ferred to as early as 1768, and probably had a much earlier origin, but is noted beyond great age as being the residence of Philip Freneau, " the jjopnlar poet of the days of the Revolution."
Neptune Township. — On Feb. 28, 1879, Neptune township was taken from the territory' of Ocean. It is a sea-coast township, and from its southern to north- ern limit on the ocean lie the following- named places and villages : Key East, Bradley Beach, Ocean Grove, and Asbury Park. Key East was laid out in 1883, on a bluff at the mouth of Shark river, and west of it is the village of Neptune. Ocean Grove was projected as a resort for religious men, and to be free from the follies of fashionaljle dissipation, and the grounds were first opened in July, 1869. Asbury Park was laid out in 1871, and incorporated in 1874.
Eatontown Township. — This township was formed from Ocean and Shrewsbury townships in 1873. Eatontown is the principal village, and was named for Thomas Eaton, who settled near its site about 1670. Oceanport village was founded before 1839, and Branchburg was founded about 1809, by Alexander McGregor, being known in earl}' years as Hoppertown or Mechanicsville.
Town of Freehold. — In 1715 the loca- tion and erection of the first court-house of the county at the site of Freehold as-
sured the growth of a village there. The place was known for many years as Mon- mouth Court-House, and in 1778 had less than one hundred inhabitants. The name Freehold came in use, the post-office was established in 1795, a newspaper was set up, and the place grew steadily, and was incorporated as a town in 1869. It is now populous and prosperous.
Town of Red Bank. — Red Bank, one of the most important towns of Monmouth county, is at the head of navigation on the Navesink or Shrewsbury river, and received its name from the red color of the soil of the river-banks at its site. About 1809 the erection of buildings commenced, and in 1833 the post-office was established. Since 1833 the place has grown steadily, and in 1870 became an incorporated town. It has a fire de- partment, gas works, and water-works. Red Bank is in a fine agricultural region, has excellent facilities for navigation, and is near first-class oyster beds, and crab fishing grounds.
Town of Keyport. — Keyport is on Rari- tan bay, and between the mouths of Mat- awan and Chiogarora creeks. The site was divided into lots and sold in 1830, nnd four years later the place contained two hotels, a good landing, three stores, and twelve houses. Since then Keyport has grown wonderfully. It now has a fine coast and ocean trade, is largely en- gaged in oyster-raising, clam-raking, and fisliing, and has a large canning factory.
Long Branch. — Long Branch, one of the woi-ld's most famous sea-side resorts, was really founded in 1788 byEUiston Perot, of Philadelphia, and, from a single l^oard- ing-house then, has grown to a large in- corporated town, and a score of modern hotels. In 1834 the place contained only one hotel, two stores and fifteen houses.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE BENCH AND BAR OF MONMOUTH COUNTY.
if HE "Monmouth Patent," conferred by Governor Nicolls, gave to Mon- mouth county the ear- liest courts within its territory. This patent provided for the enact- ment of prudential laws by the people and the establishment of courts. The town meetings at first passed the laws of local application, whilst those of a more general character were within the scope of the general assembly, the representatives of which convened at Portland Point, now the Highlands of Nave.sink. The first courts, in what is now the county of Monmouth, were held under the authority of the Nicolls patent in 1GG7. This authority, however, was interfered with by the Lords Proprietors of east New Jersey, as these local courts had proven themselves unable to quell the disturbances and disorders, and the power of Governor Carteret soon brought about their discontinuance. In 1675, when the Second Proprietary Assembly met, one of its first acts provided for the establishment and maintenance of courts of justice throughout the province. These courts continued to be held in Monmouth county, at Middletown and Shrewsbury' alternately, until 1713; for about two years afterwards at Shrewsbury only; and from Nov., 1715, at Freehold, where 51
they have ever since been held. They first convened them on the fourth Tues- day of November, 1715, with Judge John Reid presiding. The first ordinance for the establishment of courts of judicature in the province of New Jersey, .says Field, was that of Lord Cornburj' in 1704. By the provisions of this ordinance a supreme court of judicature was to be held alter- nately at Perth Amboy and Bui'lington, and circuit courts were to be held at Shrewsbury in May of each year. These courts provided for by Coimbury's ordin- ance continued until the Revolution, when the same regime was tacitly ad- opted by the Constitution of 1776. Shortly after the adoption of the Consti- tution, in 1789, the legislature enacted that the several courts of law and equity of this state shall be confirmed and estab- lished, and continued to be held with the like powers, under the present govern- ment, as they were held at and before the Declaration of Independence. The Con- stitution of 1844 made but slight changes in the character of the courts of the state. The first lawyer in Monmouth county was Ricliard Ilartshorne, and since him, among those who have practiced at the bar, are the following :
Joiiathaii Klica, 1784; Joseph Sciulder, 1784; Caleb Lloyd, 1791 ; Corlics Lloyd, 1701 ; James H. Irnlay, 1791 ; Henry Handinson, 1794; Gar- rett D. Wall, 1804; Joseph R. Philips, 1807;
Historical Sketch.
55
Richard H. Stockton, 1814 ; Daniel B. Ryall, 1820; Henry D. Polhemus, 1821; Joseph F. Randolph, 1825; Peter Vredenburgh, 1829; William L. Dayton, 1830 ; Thomas C. Ryall, 1830; James M. Hartshorne, 1833; John C. TenEyck, 1835; Craig Moffett, 1836; Ran- dolph b. Smock, 1836 ; Joseph Combs, 1836 ; William A. Bowue, 1838; William L. Ter- hune, 1838 ; George S. Woodhull, 1838; Ben- nington F. Randolph, 1839 ; Aaron R.Throck- morton, 1841 ; Joel Parker, 1842; Henry I. Mills, 1843; Jehu Patterson, Jr., 1843; Amzi C. McLean, 1844; Caleb L. Ryall, 1846; Thomas Moffett, 1846; Asa Cottrell, 1847; Charles A. Bennett, 1847 ; Egbert H. Grandin, 1847; Henry S. Little, 1848; William Haight, 1848; Robert Allen, Jr., 1848; Edmund M. Throckmorton, 1848; Gilbert Combs, 1849; Joseph D. Bedle, 1853 ; Jonathan Longstreet, 1854; Denise A. Smock, 1855; Philip S. Sco- vel, 1857: Philip J. Ryall, 1857; Joseph B. Coward, 1858; Peter Vredenburgh, Jr., 1859 ; Charles Morgan Herbert, 1860; Joseph J. Ely, 1860; D. V. Conover, 1860; Charles Haight, 1861; John S. Applegate, 1861; Albert S. Cloke, 1862; William T. Hoffman, 1862; Wil- liam H.Vredenbnrgh 1 862 ; Samuel il. Schank, George C. Beekman, 1863; William H. Cono- ver, Jr., 1863; John E. Lanning, 1863; Henry Moffett, 1864 ; John J. Ely, 1865 ; Marcus B. Taylor, 1865; Harry G. Clayton, 1865; Elijah T. Paxson, 1 866 ; William V. D. Pcrrine, 1866 ; Rensselaer W. Dayton, 1866; Chilion Robbins, 1866; John L. Howell, 1867; Ten Broeck S. Crawford, 1868; Charles H. Trafford, 1868;
C. Ewing Patterson, 1870; Acton C. Harts- home, 1870; John W. Swartz, 1870; Henry S. White, 1872; Henry M. Nevius, 187.3; Charles J. Parker, 1873; Alfred Walling. Jr., Holmes W. Murphy, 1874 ; .Fohn E. Schroeder, 1874; George M. Troutmen, 1874; James Steen, 1874; David Harvey, Jr., 1874; Wil- liam H. Foreman, 1875 ; Frank P. McDermott, 1875; Charles I. Gordon, 1876; J. Clarence Conover, 1876; Charles P. Dorance, 1876; Daniel H. Applegate, 1877; Jehu P. Apple- gate, 1877; John B. Conover, 1878; Charles A. Bennett, Jr., 1878; R. Ten Broeck Stout, 1878 ; Halstead H. Wainright, 1878 ; Wilbur A. Heisler, 1879; William H. Chamberlain, 1879; Charles H. Butcher, 1879; Samuel C. Cowart, 1879 ; Davis S. Crater, Joseph McDer- mott, 1879; Frederick Parker, 1879; John T. Rosell, 1879 ; Benjamin B. Ogden, 1879 ; John L. Conover, 1880; William S. Throckmorton, 1880; John P. Hawkins, 1880; John L. Wheeler, 1880; Delancy W. Wilgus, 1880; Richard S. Bartine, 1881 ; William D. Camp- bell, 1881; Isaac C. Kennedy, 1881; Henry W. Longstreet, 1881 ; H. S. Buchanan, 1882; Daniel S. Schank, 1882; Frank Durand, 1882; A. A. Chambers, 1882; Frederick W. Hope, 1882; Wesley B. Stout, 1883; Benjamin B. Dorranee, 1883; Samuel A. Pattereon, 1883; Jacob C. Lawrence, 1883; Alfred D. Bailey, 1883; Charles H. Ivins, 1884; Aaron E. John- son, 1884; Houston Fields, James S. Degnan, William V. Guerin, Charles E. Cook, 1893; Edwin Pierce Longstreet, 1893.
CHAPTER IX.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
[PON the second Tuesday of May, 1816, the State Medi- cal Society of New Jersey assembled at New Bruns- wick for the purpose of re- organizing itself after the dis- tractions caused by the then recent war with Great Britain, and also for the purpose of establishing district medical societies throughout the state, under authority of an act of incorpora- tion by the legislature, bearing date of February 15th of the preceding year- On the 24th of July of the same year, Drs. Edward Taylor, William G. Key- nolds, Samuel Fornian and Jacobus Hub- bard, Jr., met at Freehold for the pur- pose of forming a district society for the county of Monmouth. They formed a code of laws, under which they acted until the year 1820, prior to which time the State Society made some alterations and amendments to their constitution, which required a revision and change of that of the Monmouth County Society? for which purpose a committee was ap" pointed at the annual meeting held June 7, 1819, the committee being composed of Drs. Reynolds, Woodhull and For- man. They reported an amended con- stitution of twenty-five sections, which was adopted entire on April 24, 1820. From the latter date to 1828, two meet- ings a year were held, and from that time the society has flourished. The fol- lowing is a list of regular physicians who have practiced in the county : 50
Edward Taylor, Samuel Forman, "William G. Reynolds, Jacobus Hubbard, Jr., Edmund W. .Vllen, David Forman, Sr., Gilbert S. Wood- hull, John P. Lewis, William Forman, James 11. Baldwin, David Forman, Jr., William Davi.s, James English, James P. Kearney, John B. Throckmorton, Robert W. Cooke, David C. English, John Morford, J. S. English, Edward Taylor, Charles G. Patterson, Daniel Polhemus, Charles G. English, Arthur V. Conover, J. C. Thompson, C. C. Blauvelt, H. Green, A. B. Dayton, William A. Newell, A. Bergen, Gran- din Lloyd, John T. Woodhull, John Gregg, William L. Debow, John Vought, De Wht W. Barkclav, Robert Laird, Selah Gulick, W. H. Hubbard, A. T. Pettit, R. R. Conover, J. E. Arrowsmith, T. J. Thoraason, J. B. Goode- uough, William C. Lewis, E. W. Owen, J. C. Thompson, A. A. Howell, S. M. Disbrow, Wil- liam D. Newell, H. G. Cooke, Claudius R. Prall, A. A. Higgins, John Cook, Charles E. Hall, W. W. Palmer, I. S. Long, C. F. Desh- ler, William S. Combs, James S. Conover, John n. Forman, D. McLean Foreman, F. K. Trav- ers, Francis A. Davis, Asher T. Applegatc, P. B. Pumyea, S. H. Hunt, C. C. Vanderbeck, C. A. Conover, Samuel Johnson, J. A. Beegle, Charles A. Laird, George T. Welch, James Holmes, James E. Cooper, Wilmer Hodgson, W. R. Kinmonth, James H. Patterson, Edward Field. J. G. Shackleton, E. B. Laird, A. J. Jackson, Henry Hughes, N. J. Hepburn, W. W. Palmer, C. D. W. Van Dyke, Harry Neafie, Henry Mitchell, H. G. Norton, S. A. Disbrow, Daniel G. Hendrickson, George H. Hutchinson, D. Edgar Roberts, Henry B. Costill, Charles H. Thompson, G. F. Will)nr, James E. Coo|)er, Fred. Y, Thom])son, James A. Ackerman, Geo. B. Herbert, J. W. Bennett, D. M. Barr, Margaret Cnrrie, William Johnston, D. E. Roberts, F. D. Ihoms, G. G. Hoagland, Wil- liam W. Trout.
CHAPTEE X.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
i/l-'-\^jLd^^\FACE cannot be accorded to the interesting history of the different churches and so the name, town- ship and year of the or- ganization of each is given since 1684, a per- iod of twohundi'ed years. Presbyterian. — Old Tennent, Manaplan, before 1(392 ; Midilletown, Miiklletown, before 1706 ; Allentown, Upper Frceliokl, about 1722 ; Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury, before 1727 ; Mata- wan, Matawan, 17C6 ; First Millstone, Mill- stone, 1785; Fairfield, Howell, before 1828; First Freehold, Freehold, 1836; First Long Branch, Ocean, 1840 ; Manasqtian, Wall, about 1842; Red Bank, Shrewsbury, 1852; Manaplan, Millstone, 1856; Port Washington, Shrews- bury, 1861 ; Cream Ridge, U])per Freehold, 1864; Farmingdale, Howell, 1870; First Ocean Beach, Wall, 1877 ; Keyport, Raritan, 1878; Wesmiuster Chapel, Wall, 1880.
Baptist— Rolmdel, Holmdel, 1668; Jliddletown, Middletown, 1668; Upper Free- port, Upper Freeport, 1766 ; Manasquan, Wall, 1804; Chapel Hill, Middletown, 1809; First Keyport, Raritan, 1840 ; First Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury, 1844 ; Leedsville, Middletown, 1846; Eatontown, Eatontowii, 1852; Nave- sink, Middletown, 1853; Chanceville, Middle- town, 1854; First Howell, Howell, 1859; Marlborough, Marlborough, 1869; Allentown, Upper Freeport, 1874 ; Long Branch, Ocean, 1882.
Reformed. — Freehold and Middletown, Marlborough, 1699-1825 ; Holmdel, Holmdel, 1719; First Freehold, Marlborough, 1825; Middletown, Middletown, 1836 ; Second Free- hold, Freeiiold, 1842 ; Keyport, Raritan, 1847 ; Colt's Neck, Atlantic, 1856; Second Ocean, Ocean, 1878.
Friends. — Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury, about 1672.
Episcopal. — Christ's, Shrewsbury, about 1700; Allentown, Upper Freehold, 1730; Christ's, Freehold, before 1745; St. Peter'.s, Freehold, 1745; Trinity, Matawan, 1850; Trinky, Shrewsbury, 1851 ; St. James', Ocean, 1853'; St. John," Manalapan, 1860 ; All Saints' Memorial, IMiddletown, 1863; St. Mary's, Raritan, 1864; St. James' Memorial, Eaton- town, 1866; St. George, Shrewsbury, before 1874; St. John, Shrewsbury, before 1878.
Metfiodist Episcopal. — Bethesda, Howell, 1780; Imlay Hill, Upper Freeport, 1790; First Jjong Branch, Eatontown, 1790; St. John's, Raritan, about 1800; Allentown, Ujiper Freeport, 1810; Matawan, Matawan, 1826; Harmony, Mi.ldletown, 1830; Calvary, Rari- tan, 1835; Englishtown, Manalapan, 1842; Farmingdale, Howell, 1844 ; Clarksburg, Mill- stone, before 1845 ; Red Bank, Shrewsbury, 1844; Manasquan, Wall, 1850; St. Luke's, Ocean, 1860; Navesink, Middletown, 1866; Granville, Raritan, 1866; Ocean|iort, Eaton- town, 1868; Asburv, Ocean, 1869; Ocean Beach, Wall, 1872; St. Paul, Neptune, 1874; Tabernacle, Ocean, 1875; Good Will, Shrews- bury, 1 875 ; First Asbury Park, Neptune, 1 880 ; Centreville, Ocean, 1881 ; Simpson, Ocean, 1882.
Second Advent. — Eaton ville, Eatontown, about 1840.
Cattiolic. — , Upper Freehold,
1853; St. James', Shrewsbury, about 1854; Our Lady Star of the Sea, Ocean, 1854 ; St. Joseph's, Raritan, 1854; St. John's, Upper
Freehold, 1869; , Millstone, 1871; St.
Mary's, Atlantic, 1871; St. Gabriel's, Marl- borough, 1871.
Metfiodist Protestant. — Fair Haven, Shrewsbury, 1854; Ocean Beach, Wall, 1884.
Historical Sketch
OF
Somerset County, ]^ew Jersey.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION — GEOGRAPHY — GEOLOGY.
the tick
'At(^J EARING a noble and time- lionored English name, to \v hose old-world history fling a thousand glories, and midway between the "Ocean of Storms" and the beauti- ful and well-loved Indian stream, whose waters meet lundred miles from the sea, lies the rich and prosperous county of Somerset, the garden spot of the " Gar- den State " of the Union.
It is the purpose to write briefly on tlie pages that follow of the history of Somer- set county.
In attempting to some extent the dif- ficult but pleasant task of tracing this history from pioneer days down to pres- ent times, we shall seek to trace the two great elements of early population — the Dutch and the Scotch — the one predomi- nant in the western part of the count}'^ planting the Reformed church of their 58
fathers, and the other supreme in the valley of tlie Raritan founding the Pres- bj'terian church of their ancestors. Yield- ing passing notice to the German Lu- therans and the French Huguenots at Pluckamin, we pass rapidly over the set- tlement period and come to the Re'volu- tionary struggle, when Somerset count}- in 1777 was the resting-ground of the Continental army, and note the masterly policy of inaction on Middletown Heights, by which the American Fabius foiled the British in the valley of the Raritan. Passing from the Revolution Ave shall trace the record of county progress through pike, canal and railroad periods, and then make mention of the sons of Somerset who fought and fell in the late civil war. After the war we shall chroni- cle material and commercial develop- ment, and speak of the high position tlio county holds for the morality, virtue and intelligence other people.
Historical Sketch.
59
Geography — Somerset county, New Jer- sey, lying north of the geographical cen- tre of the state, and largely in tlie beau- tiful valley of the Raritan, is situated between forty degrees and twenty-two minutes and forty degrees and forty-five minutes north latitude ; and seventy-four degrees and twenty-seven minutes and seventy-four degrees and forty-seven nun- utes west longitude from Greenwich, Eng- land, or two degrees and thirteen minutes and two degrees and thirty-three minutes east longitude from Washington. As a political division of the state Somerset county is bounded on the north by Mor- ris and Union counties, on the east by Union and Middlesex, on the south by Middlesex and Mercer, and on the west by Mercer and Hunterdon counties. The computed area of the county is three hundred and six square miles, or nearly one hundred and ninety-six thousand acres.
Geology. — We condense briefly the fol- lowing account of the geology of the | count}' from the geological description | given by Rev. Abram Messier, D. D., in the " History of Hunterdon and Somer- set Counties." Geologically the area of Somerset county is almost made up of five distinct formations. The first and largest is the red sand-stone, and red shale. The second is the variegated conglomerate, upon which the red shale rests in an unformable manner, along its north-west line. The third embraces the trap ranges protruded from it; and fourth the older gneiss rocks underlying the conglomerate. The filth is the blue lime- stone, existing in limited areas, but very valuable. The red sand-stone and red shale rocks are regularly stratified, have a uniform range of five to twenty degrees to the north-west, and derive their [prevail-
ing red hue from containing red oxide of iron. Tn different degrees of solidity and usefulness, they extend over the county, have a disputed thickness from several hundred to twentj'-seven thou- sand feet, and were deposited as a sedi- mentary rock in fresh water, as their analysis shows but little trace of salt water.
The fossil plants would indicate the lower series of the Devonian period, and the sand-stone variety of the Triassic formation weathers well and makes a fine building stone. The varied con- glomerate formation is a rock composed of fragments, or pebbles, of other rocks, united by different soft and cementing substances. It overlies, and is of a later origin than, the red sand-stone or shale, while its water-worn elements indicate an aqueous formation. Trap is of igneous or volcanic origin, has a greenish-gray color, varies in aspect from that of a fine- grained compact basalt to that of a coarsely-crystallized green-stone, and in its purer state consists mostly of feldspar. Geologicall}' trap is older than sand-stone, and was forced up through the latter, which it also elevated, and caused the waters to rush to lower levels, carrying rock fragments into comglomerate beds. The blue lime-stone when pure consists of fifty- four per cent, of carbonate of lime and forty-six per cent, of carbonate of magnesia, hence it is often called mag- nesian lime-stone. This lime-stone is above the Potsdam sand-stone, and at Peapack has been extensively used with beneficial results in farming. With the lime-stone are the older gneiss rocks, con- sisting of quartz, feldspar, and mica. Gneiss is the only Azoic rock in the county, and constitutes Bernard town- ship.
CHAPTER II.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE REVOLUTION — WASHINGTON'S RETREAT — WESTON HEIGHTS OF MIDDLEBROOK — MILITIA.
JO unusual or exciting event occurred from the real or- ganization of Somerset county rj in 1714up to 1775, the growth i^'i of population and wealth hav- ing been slow — merely a set- tlement period. The news of Lexington kindled the Re- volutionary flame in Somerset county, and her sons, led by Stirling, Frelinghuysen, and other distinguished officers, fought galhintlj' from Long Island to Yorktown. On May 3, 1775, four militia companies were organized at HilLsborough, and com- manded as follows : Hillsborough com- pany, commanded by Capt. John Ten Eyck ; Millstone company, Capt. Hen- drick Probasco; Shannick company, Capt. William Ver Bruck ; and Grenadier com- pany, Capt. Cornelius Lott. The Pro- vincial Congress of New Jersey, in Aug., 1775, ordered two regiments of militia and one battalion of five companies of minute men to be organized in Somerset. The next year many Somerset men en- listed in the two New Jersey l)attalions raised for the Continental army, and three companies were called from the county to join General Heard's New Jer- sey brigade.
Washingion's Retreat. — After the battle of Long Island Wa.shington fell back from position to position until he arrived
m
at New Brunswick, which he was com- pelled to evacuate on Dec. 1, 1776. He retreated through the southern part of Somei'set count}' by the way of Six Mile Run and Rocky Hill. On tlie 12th Gen. Charles Lee, who had leisurely retreated from New York, stopped with a small guard at Basking Ridge, and was captured by Col. Harcourt, with a 'detachment of Uritish cavalry.
Weston. — When Washington went into winter-quarters at Morristown, he left Gen. Philemon Dickenson with four hun- dred and fifty men at Millstone, where the latter was to keep a watch on British foraging expeditions. On Jan. 20, 1777, a force of four hundred British, with three pieces of artillery and a number of pillaged cattle, came to Weston, in Frank- lin township, to take a quantity of flour stored in a mill there. General Dicken- son could not cross the bridge there for their artillery, but his men waded the river where the water was waist deep, and routed the British, whose loss was thirty men, while Dickenson lost but five. Dickenson's force was half raw militia, and their bravery in charging vi'teran troops was warmly commended I)y Washington. The spoils of the fight were fort3'-three wagons, one hundred and eighteen cattle, seventy sheej) and twelve prisoners.
Historical Sketch.
61
Heights of Middlebrook. — The British foraged the " heart of the Jerseys," and Howe's " protection papers " were little regai'ded by his brutal soldiery, who, by their excesses, sent many neutrals, as soldiers, into Washington's army. During April, 1778, the British army was rein- forced until it numbered about seventeen thousand men, and Washington, with but five thousand effective men, could not ven- ture battle ; so lie entered upon a mas- terly defensive policy by taking position on the Heights of Middlebrook, where he could watch every movement of the British at New Brunswick, in the valley below him, and at the same time be safe from any attack that could be made on him.
On June 13th the British army, in two divisions, marched to the Millstone and Middlebrook, and lay hy five days, but Washington was too good a military tactician to accept the ofl'er of battle in the plain, and the foiled enemy returned to New Brunswick. Howe, on June 23d, evacuated New Brunswick and retreated toward New York. Washington followed cautiously as far as Quibbletown, when Howe suddenly turned about, and, by a forced march, attempted to precipitate a battle at Quibbletown, but Washington was too wary, and fell back, in good time, to his fortified position on Middle- brook Heights, where he remained until
Howe went to New York. Then Wash- ington marched to the Hudson, an<l when Howe sailed for Philadelphia he mardii'd through Somerset for that city.
Militia. — Somerset county answered every call upon her for men, and her sons fought bravely at Long Island, Trenton, Princeton, Germantown and Monmouth, besides being in a hundred skirmishes and engagements. The First battalion of Somerset county was organ- ized with Lord Stirling as colonel; Abraham Ten Eyck, lieutenant-colonel ; Derrick Middah, major, and Stephen Hunt, Frederick Frelinghuysen, James Linn, Richard McDonald, Thomas Hall, Benjamin Corey, John Craig, David De Groot, Simon Duryea, Andrew Kirk- patrick, Francis Lock, William Logan, Garen McCoy, William Moffat, John Parker, Peter Schenck, Ruloff Sebring, Richard Stites and Philip Van Ardaleii were captains at different times.
The Second battalion had as colonels Abraham Quick and Hendrick Van Dyke; lieutenant -colonels, Benjamin Baird and Peter D. Vroom ; majors, William Verbryck, William Baird, Enos Kelsey and Abraham Nevius ; captains, Joseph Babcock, John Carr, Peter Du- mont, Philip Fulkerson, William C. Houston, William Jones, James Moore, Henry Probasco, Peter Pumyea, Jacobus Quick, James Quick.
CHAPTER III.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE CIVIL WAR — REGIMENTAL HISTORIES AND MORTUARY
LISTS.
UITE rudely was the peace dream of half a century broken when Beauregard's circling batteries opened on the walls of Fort Sumter. The nation was wild with excitement, the tramp of marching armies was tliroughout the land, and the greatest civil war of modern times had burst upon the world. New Jersey promptly re- > sponded to Lincoln's call for troops, and men from Somerset were among the first to volunteer for the preservation of the Union.
Regimental Histories and Mortuary Lists. — The Third New Jersey infantry was organized for three years, and mustered into the Federal service in May, 1861, under command of Col. George W. Tay- lor, who afterwards became a brigadier- general and fell mortally wounded at Second Bull Run. The regiment fought with great bravery at Gaines' Mill, where it lost one hundred and seventy killed and wounded, and then muintauied its record in every great battle of tlie Army of the Potomac up to Cold Harbor. After that battle it was mustered out, and disbanded at Trenton on July 7, 1864.
Company G, of this regiment, was from Somerset county, whei'e it was x-e- cruited by Capt. Peter F. Roberts, and its mortuary list was as follows : Lieut. W. C. Barnard, killed at Williamsburg ; , 62
Sergeant Theo. McCoy, killed at Cramp- ton's Pass; Sergeant John S. Judd, died of wounds ; Corporal Jacob Crater, died of wounds ; Corporal C. Hoagland, killed at Spottsylvania ; Corporal William Ful- ler, John Burkmeyer (musician), and Martin Blanchard (wagoner), died ; John V. Bennett, died ; John J. Deitz, Adam Job and John Lederman, killed at Gaines' Mill ; John V. Bennett, Joseph Durham, Michael Kaley and David Young, died ; Joseph McNear and William Steinka, killed at Salem Heights ; John Keiser and William Littell, died of wounds ; and Caleb Woodruil" was killed at Manassas. Fifteenth New Jersey Infantry. — This regiuient was mustered into the service Aug. 25, 1862, under command of 'Col. Samuel Fowler. It fought gallantly at Fredericksburg and Cliancellorsville, was at Gettysburg, and saw its most despe- rate fighting in the Wilderness campaign. It served with distinction under Sheri- dan in his battles in the valley of Vir- ginia, was then engaged in the siege of Petersburg, and ended its battle record at Appomattox. " The Fifteenth New Jer- sey was always found where the fire was hottest, the charge most impetuous, the resistance most stubborn, and the carnage most fearful." It was in thirty-five battles and lost three hundred and si.xty- one men by disease and from wounds, besides the larjie number killed in battle.
Historical Sketch.
63
Company E, of this regiment, was j raised in Somerset county by Capt. John H. Vanderveer. Sergeant Joseph Vand- erveer died of fever; Sergeants T. D. Johnson and S. W. Nevius, died of wounds ; Sergeants B. 0. Scudder and W. C. E. Gulick, and Corporal Daniel Richardson, were killed at Spottsylvania, while Corporal J. B. Hutchinson fell at Salem. A. M. Cornell, W. S. Cuthbert, j John Garrettson, John Johnson, L. M. Moore, Francis JNlusshea, H. C. Ogborn, J. A. Saums, Robert Sylvester and C. S. Williamson died of disease. Nicholas Conover, Peter Demens, James McKin- sey and W. H. Rose, were killed at Spott- sylvania, while Jonathan Brewster and W. N. Therp fell at Salem, and James Dow went down at Cold Harbor. James Langdon was drowned. W. W. Conk- 1 lin, W. K. Dow, George Hendrickson, J. H. Jones, Christian Koenig, James Nolan and J. W. Priestly, died of wounds.
Thirteenth New Jersey Infantry. — This regiment, with ten others, was raised in
1862, to prevent a draft. It w^as raised for a term of nine months, under com- j mand of Col. Alex. E. Donaldson. It i served in the Army of the Potomac, was j held at Falmouth, opposite Fredericks- burg, during that battle and lay under heavy fire at Chancellorsville, although not brought into action. The regiment made a good record for efficiency and bravery. It was mustered into the ser- vice Sept. 17, 1862, and served until July,
1863, when it was discharged at Flem- ington, New Jersey.
The five companies of this regiment recruited in Somerset county were as fol- lows : Co. A, recruited in North Branch, Capt. A. S. Ten Eyck ; Co. E, recruited in Somerville, Capt. C. T. Cox ; Co. F, recruited in Neshauic, Capt. 0. A. Kibbe ;
Co. I, recruited in Basking Ridge, Capt. J. C. Bloom ; Co. K, recruited in Middle- bush, Capt. B. S. Totten.
Company A lost by disease : Sergeant, T. S. Smith; Corporals, J. P. Dunham, G. S. Woodrufl' and David Van Camp, and privates, J. K. Bangham, Jacob Karns, J. P. Krymer, Gideon Linsley, R. J. Runyon, Joseph Van Doren, and P. J. Van Zandt.
Company E lost the following by dis- ease : Corporal Dennis Cox, and privates, J. H. Cavaleer, G. V. C. Polhemus, Peter Van Arsdale, and A. G. Van Nest.
Company F lost by disease seven men : W. R. Bigley, A. U. D. Brearly, C. A. Crusei', Dennis Hagaman, B. C. Piggott, J.B.Van Dyke, and Stephen Voorhees,Jr.
Company I lost by disease three offi- cers and eight men : Corporals, Jacob Bars, Nicholas Blank and E. S. Day, and privates, Abraham Bush, Peter Dough- erty, Stephen Harvey, Louis Linden- berger, Morris Levi, George Opie, Henry Todd, and Isaac Wingert.
Company K suffered a loss of one offi- cer and four privates by disease : Lieut. Theodore Strong, Jr., and privates, J. T. B. Cruser, John Dessinger, G. E. Gulick, and James Parker.
When Lincoln made his first call for troops in 1861, Somerset county contrib- uted a large number of men to the Third regiment of three months' men, which aided in checking the fleeing troops of McDowell from the Bull Run battle- ground. Many Somerset count}' men served in other regiments of this state besides the ones already named, and also enlisted in the regiments of other states. Difficult to secure the names of those who returned, it is impossible to make up the full roster of the fallen, who gave their lives that the Union might live.
CHAPTER IT,
LATER RAILWAYS — PRESENT INDUSTRIES — COUNTY PROGRESS.
AYS of peace brought with them a business revival, and manufactures and agricul- ture once more went forward in the countj^ as they had I'^^tjfi^ ^ prior to the war. The early railroad was stayed by the war, and the war in turn was succeeded by a development-jDcriod in which canal and old and new railways were leading factors, while the telegraph and other useful inventions came into prominence and use throughout the county. The Central railroad of New Jersey was in- creasing its connections and its train and station service. The South Branch rail- road, from Somerville to Flemington, was completed in 1870, and in the last-named year the Mercer and Somerset, the Mill- stone and New Brunswick, the West Line and the Rocky Hill railways. After a wonderful legal struggle with the Penn- sylvania Railroad Co., Henry M. Hamil- ton, of New York city, was successful, in 1874, in putting under construction the Delaware and Bound Brook railway, or the New York and Philadelphia new line.
The Easton and Amboy or Packer road was completed about 1874. Two vears later came the Centennial exhibition 64
at Philadelphia, and hundreds of visitors were there from Somerset county to view the labor-saving machinery collected from all parts of the civilized world, and to become acquainted with the wonderful inventions of Edison, and a hundred other American inventors. Returning home, they were not satisfied with the development then in progress, but intro- duced labor-saving appliances and labor- saving machinery on form, and in shop, and in mine.
Present Industries. — While the manu- facturing interests are respectable in number, yet being so near the great jcities of Philadelphia and New York, the great source of wealth should be in the agri- cultural products, embracing farm, dairy and market garden.
With a fertile soil and considerable water power, and h'ing on the great sea- board route of commerce and in the great eastern manufacturing district, Somerset county should be noted for the prosperity of her present industries, and her fine facilities for future enterprises.
County Progress. — The growth of the count}- has been slow and gradual for over two hundred 3'ears, and its history since actual white settlement commenced, in 1G81, has been almost unprecedented
CHAPTER Y,
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES.
ITH a land area of 25,- 651 acres, and centrally located, Bridgewater is the third in size of the townships of Somerset county. The surface is level in the south, undulating in the cen- or mountainous in the north, where the celebrated " Chimney' Rock" and "Round Top" stand like giant sentinels. The drainage is by the Rari- tan river and a part of its branches. The territory of the township was bought in 1681 from the Indians, in four sepa- rate purchases, or Indian titles, but sales by the proprietors were not made until the succeeding year. Thomas (Jodring- ton and John Royce, in 1681, became the fii'st settlers. The township was formed by letter.s-patent from George II., dated April 4, 1749, and the present poor-larm purchased in 1831. Copper mining, with more or less interruption, was prosecuted on First Mountain from 1769 to 184U. The Raritan Water Power Co. (origin- ally Somerville) was organized in I860 ; the Raritan Woolen Mills Co., in 1869, and the Bound Brook Woolen Mills Co., in 1878. The first school-house was built about 1742, at Bound Brook, where, in 18(10, an academy was built on the site of the present academy there. Somer- ville Academy was opened in 1802, and Somerville Classical Institute went into 5
operation in 1848, succeeding a former seminary. Church organizations have been as follows: First Reformed Church of Raritan, 1699; Second Reformed Church of Raritan, 1834 ; First Baptist Church of Somerville, 1843 ; St. John's Episcopal, 1851 ; Presbyterian Church of Somerset, Middlesex; or Bound Brook, 1725 ; Congregational Church of Bound Brook, 1876 ; Bound Brook Methodist Episcopal, 1849 ; St. Joseph's Catholic, 1863 ; Third Reformed Church of Rari- tan, 1848 ; Raritan Methodist Episcopal Church, 1872; St. Bernard's Catholic Church, 1852; Reformed Churcii of North Branch, 1825, and Somerville Methodist Episcopal Church, in 1832. The principal villages in Bridgewater are: Somerville, Bound Brook. Raritan and Martinsville.
Bedminster. — This township lies in the northwestern part of the county, and em- braces a large area. It is generall\- level, excepting in the north, where the Second Mountain crosses. Its di-ainage is toward the south, by the North Branch and its tributaries. Margaret Winder pur- chased the tirst land in 1690, and the first settlers were Scotch, who were followed by the Palatinate Germans. Bedminster township was probaljly organized about 1749. The destruction of the township records by fire in 1845 has left a large blank in the early history of Bedminster. A school was in existence in 1759, an acad-
65
GO.
Historical Sketch.
eniy is mentioned at Pluckaniin in 1779, and classical schools were in oper- ation before 1818. The township schools arc in good condition. The churches of the town.ship have been organized as fol- lows: St. Paul's Lutheran, 1756; Lam- ington Presbyterian, 1740; Bedniinster Reformed, 1758 ; Peapack Reformed, 18-48 ; Peapack Methodist Episcopal, 1838, and Pluckarain Presbyterian, 1851. The main villages and hamlets of the township ai'e : Pluckamin, Larger Cross Roads, Lesser Cross Roads, Peapack, Lamington and Pottersville. Pluckamin is said to be a corruption of Plaquemine, from Plaqueminier, meaning in French the date-plum or persimmon tree, which was plentiful in that vicinit}'.
Bernard. — Bernard township, named , alter Governor Francis Bernard, is in the north-eastern part of the county, and comprises an area of 26,54 1 acres. It is drained by the Passaic and Raritan rivers, and its ridges are of trap forma- tion, while the lesser hills are drift ol' the glacial epoch, and the valleys have an alluvial soil. The soil is productive, and magnetic iron-ore mines have been Oldened in Mine mountain. Settlements were made as early as 1720, and previous to this James Pitney was a squatter resi- dent. The first Indian land-title ac- quired was " Harrison's Neck " of 3,000 acres. Bernard township lost its early records by fire, but is supposed to have been organized about 1759. Farming, the chief occupation, is of two kinds, grain-raising and dairying. The public schools are well supported, Init even tra- dition supplies not the name of the first teacher. The famous Basking Ridge Classical School was conducted for over half a centur}'. The Smith family re- union ill 1870 broui2;ht together over
2500 Smiths from Somerset and Hunter- don counties. The church list of the township is as follows : Basking Ridge Presbyterian, 1720 ; Liberty Corner Pres- byterian, 1837; Millington Bapti.st, 1851; St. Mark's Episcopal, 1850; and St. James' Catholic, 1860. The celebrated George Whitefield visited and preached at Basking Ridge in 1740. The leading villages and hamlets are: Basking Ridge, Bernardsville (once Yealtown), Liberty Corner, and Madisonville.
Branchburg. — This township is in the western part of the county, contains 12,- 1)34 acres of land, and has a slightly un- dulated surface. It is drained by the Xorth and South Branches of the Rari- tan. The teri'itory of the township was included in three Indian titles, obtained between 1785 and 1790. Among the early settlers were : John Dobie, and John Campbell (son of Lord Neil Camp- bell). The township was organized April 5, 1845. A school-house, Avhose site is indeterminable now, was built in 1782, but of the teachers at it nothing can be learned. The public schools are few in number, I)ut are progressive. No church nor village was within the township as late as 1885, and up to that time North Branch post-oflice, North Branch depot, and Milltown were not large enough to be counted villages.
Hillsborough. — Hillsborough, the largest township in the county, contains 37,894 acres of land, and has no large streams within its territory-. The surface varies from level to mountainous, the .soil is a red sand-stone, and but little timber re- mains. Neshanic mountain is five hun- dred feet high, its top being the only land in the township tliat is not culti- vated. The territory of Hillsborough township was for a long time disputed
Historical Sketch.
67
territory, between East and West Jersey. Settlements actually commenced in 1690. under the twenty-four proprietors. The township organization can not bo given accurately, for the oldest records in ex- istence bearing on the subject only ex- tend back to 1746. The date of the earliest school is also unknown, being be- yond reliable conjecture, although in 1730 we find William Parish teaching in a school-house on the south bank of the Raritan. The present public schools are prosperous and well instructed. A clas- sical school has been taught in Millstone at different times, and Queen's College was temporarih' removed tliere in 1780. The church list of Hillsborough town- ship is as follows : Millstone Presbyte- rian, 1759; Clover Hill Reformed, 1834; Neshanic Reformed, 1752; Hillsborough Reformed, 1766 ; Branchville Reformed, 1850; Rock Mills Methodi.st Episcopal, about 1840 ; African Methodist Episco- pal, about 1865 ; and Mountain Mission (union), 1876. The villages and hamlets of the township are : Millstone, Neshanic, Flaggtown, Clover Hill, Blackwell's, South Branch or Branchville, Rock Mill, and Roycefield.
Franklin. — This township is in the south- eastern part of the county, contains 31,- 610 acres of land, and has a level or j gently undulating surface, except where { Ten-mile mountain crosses in the extreme south. All streams within the township are small, and the soil is well adapted to farming and grazing. Settlement com- menced as early as 1701, and in 1703 we have record of John Van Houten, Tunis Quick, Dollies Hageman, Jacob Bennet, and John Harrison as among the resi- dents of the township. In 1746 the ter- ritorj^ of Franklin was called the East- ern Precinct, and was not formally or-
ganized until 1760. The first school- house was at Three Mile Run, where, in 1720, Jacobus Schureman taught. Schureman was probably the first school- master in the county. Among classical schools Kingston Academy soon attained high rank, and the public schools have been well supported. The churches of the township are as follows : Three Mile Run Reformed, 1703-54 ; Kingston Pres- byterian, before 1700; Six Mile Run Re- formed, 1710; Bound Brook Episcopal, about 1800; Middle Bush Reformed, 1834 ; East Millstone Methodist Epi.sco- pal, 1854 ; Griggstown Reformed. 1842 ; South Middlebush Colored Methodist Episcopal. 1876 ; Bound Brook Reformed, 1846; East Millstone Reformed, 1855, and East Millstone Catholic, 1864. The villages and hamlets of the township are : Six Mile Run, East Millstone, Blooming- ton, Weston, Rocky Hill, Middlebush, Griggstown and Kingston.
Montgomery. — Montgomery township is in the southern part of Somerset county, contains 19,590 acres, and has a hilly surface and a clay, sand}' loam and red shale soil. The township originality con- tained 36,500 acres, but in 1838, 16,910 acres of it were given to Mercer count}'. The drainage is to the east, and Sour- land Mountain in the south-west contahis the noted " Roaring Rock " caves and the " Devil's Half Acre." As early as 1693 lands in this township were sold by the twenty-four proprietors, and settle- ments commenced not later probably than the year 1700. The township was organized between 1762 and 1772, witii everything in favor of the year 1772. Neither history nor tradition tells of the early schools and teachers, and the pres- ent public schools are ki'pt up with the times.
CHAPTEK YI,
THE BENCH AND BAR.
Hi-i^*^
AVING long been distin- guished for eloquence and legal learning, tlie Bench and Bar of Som- ei'.setjcountj^ have won the proud distinction of being the peers of any others in the state of New Jersey. Some of those whose names have gilded the legal " roll of honor " of the county and state, representing some of the greatest genius, learning and judi- cial merit and ability in the countrj^, are the following : William Patterson, Peter D. Vroom, Samuel Southard, William Griffith, Andrew Kirkpatrick, George H. Brown, John M. Berrien, James S. Ne- vius, Isaac N. Blackford, Richard Stock- ton, Henry Southard, Frederick and Theodore Frelinghu3-sen, and Abraham (). Zaljriskic.
Judges. — The records of the court were liurned when the court-house was de- stroyed by fire in 1779. We give the following list of judges from 1778 to 1896:
1778, Peter Scheiick, Jacob Bergen, Abraham Van Nestc, Enos Kelsey, Jacob Van Nord- strand, Edward Bunn, Chri.sto])lier Iloaglandt, Tobias Van Norden, Ernestus Van Harlingen, Jacob Wyckoff", Andrew Hegenian, Dirk Low, Natlianicl Ayers, Roelof Sebriiig, Thomas Berry, Henry Middleworth, Ebcnezer Tingley, Abra- ham Quick, .lohn Manning, Guisbcrt Sntfin, Cornelius Wvckoif, J.ilui Jolmson ; 17S0, Wib G8
Ham Verbyck, Ale.xander Kii-kjjutrifk ; 1781, Tol)ias Van Xorden, John Jolinston ; 1782, Ivobert Stockton, Peter Diuuont, Juliu Wort- man, Benj. Taylor, George Van Neste, John CJompton, Simon Van Nordwick, Peter Davis, Hugh Gaston, Ichaliod Leigh, Moses Scott, John Sebring; 1783-84, William Verbyck, Thomas Berry, Moses Scott, Robert Stockton, Tobias Van Norden, Henry Van Jliddlcworth, Andrew Hegeman, John Murray, James Kirk- patrick, Jacob Riskey, John Manning, David Kelly, John Sebring, John Wortman, Ichabod Leigh, Nicholas Dubois, Robt. Gaston, Peter Dumont, Ernestus Van Harlingen, John John- son, Jacob Van Nordstrand, Jacob Lewis; 1785, Mathias Baker; 1786, Christopher Hoagland, Aaron Matti.son, Joseph Annin, Jacob Matteson ; 1788, Benjamin Blackford, Peter D. Vroom, John Boylan, Henry Southard, Gilbert Sut- phin, Daniel Blackford; 1789, John Stryker; 1 790, Garret Terhune, Isaac Davis ; 1792, Rob- ert Blair, John Beatty, Jacob Ten Eyck ; 1793, Peter J. Stryker ; 1795, James Van Duyn, Fre<lerick Vcr Mulen, John Bryant; 1796, Nicholas Arrowsmith, David Ayers ; 1797, Archibald Mercer, John Bayard, John Bcgar, (larret Tunisoii, Wm. McEowen ; 1798, John Simonson, James Stryker, Jacob De Groot ; 1 799, Frederick Frelinghnysen, Peter Proba.sco ; 1801, Jacob R. Hardenburgh, David Nevius; 1803, John N. Simpson ; 1804, Martin Schenck, Henry Van Derveer ; 1805, Fred. Cruser, Jas. Anderson ; 1806, Jas. Van Duyn ; 1807, Saml. Bayard, David Smalley, Caleb Brokaw ; 1808, Dickin.son Miller; 1809, Jacob De Groot; 1810, Hugh McGowen, John Bray, John Rickey,
Historical Sketch.
69
Fred. Cruser ; 1811, John Stout, David Siual- ley, F. Ver Mulen, Martin Schenck, Edward Lewis, Niciiolas Arrowsmitli ; 1812, James Henry, Daniel La Toiirette, Henry W. Schenck, John Kickey, Dickinson Miller, Samuel Bay- ard, Joseph Annin ; 1813, James Henry, John Bray, Edward Lewis, A. Van Arsdale, John Rickey, James Stryker; 1814, Hugh McEowen, Jacob DeGroot, Frederick Cruser; 1815, A. Howell, John H. Disborough, Cornelius Van Horn, Nicholas Dubois ; 1816, James Stryker; 1817, Dickinson Miller; 1818, Henry H. Schenck, John Rickey, A. Van Arsdale; 1819, Jacob De Groot, Fred. Cruser; 1820, J(jhn Stout, John H. Disborougli, Isaac Southard, Nicholas Dubois, Job Lane ; 1821, A. Howell, James Stryker, Nicholas Arrowsmitli, John Kirkjiatrifk, Farriiigton Barcalow, Chai'les Fer- ris, Dickinson Miller, Jacob De Groot; 1822, William Cruser ; 1823, Ferdinand Van Der- veer, Henry H. Schenck; 1824, John Rickey; 1825, James D. Str^'ker, John Stout, Jacob De Groot; 1826, Henry M. Colin, Job Lane, A. Howell, Nicholas Arrowsmitli, Farringtou Bar- calow ; 1827, John Kirkpatrick, William Todd, W. B. Gaston, William Cruser; 1828, Ferdi- nand Van Derveer, Henry H. Schenck, Thos. Terrel, Jacob De Groot, John Terhune, James D. Stryker, Elias Brown, John Rickey ; 1830, John Kirkpatrick, Wm. D. Stewart, Squier Terrell ; 1831, John Gulick, Farrington Barca- low, John Breece, William A. Van Doren, Nicholas Arrowsmith, A.Howell; 1832, Wil- liam Todd, Wm. T. Rodgers, John A. Austin, Samuel S. Doty, Wm. B. Gaston, James Taylor, John Breece, Ferd. Van Derveer; 1833, Peter Voorhees, John Lowrey, John Terhune, P. W. Stryker, J. Van Doren, William Cruser, James D. Stryker, John S. Todd ; 1834, Aaron Long- street, J. R. Hardenbnrgh, James Taylor; 1835, John Kirkpatrick, AVm. D. Stewart; 1836, Caleb C. Brokaw, .Joseph Nevius, Squier Ter- rell, Matthias V. D. Cruser, Wm. A. Van Doren, Farrington Barcalow, Daniel H. Dis- borough, John Gulick ; 1837, Peter S. Nevius; 1838, Peter Voorhees, Henry H. Wilson, Sam-
uel S. Doty, John Terhune, John Lowrey, Ferd. Van Derveer, John H. Voorhees, P. W. Stryker, Peter L. Elmendorf, Benj. McDonald; 1839, Cornelius S. Stryker, James Taylor; 1840, Lewis Mundy ; 1841, Ralph Voorhees, James P. Goltra, S. Shubal Luce, William H. Sebring, Henry H. Wilson; 1842, William B.Gaston, William Kennedy, Elisha Moore, Elias Brown, Andrew Smalley, Peter S. Nevius; 1843, P. W. Stryker, A. Sergeant, Frederick Cook, Peter Voorhees, William A. Van Doreii, John Ter- hune, C. Morton, John H. Voorhees, L. Bunn, •lacob Lo.sey, Aaron Longstreet, Caleb C. Bro- kaw, Daniel Whitenack ; 1814, Daniel H. Dis- borougli, Henry D. .Johnson, James D, Stryker, Peter Iv. Fisher, l^'rederick Cliilds, John Wil- son, Joseph Nevius, Squier Terrell, I*" red. Ap- gar, Michael R. Nevius, Albert Cammann, Joseph Huffman ; 1845, James Taylor ; 1846, Lewis Mundy; 1848, Joseph A. Gaston, John H. Voorhees; 1849, Corn. S. Stryker; 1850, Isaac Lindley ; 1851, Saml. Corle; 1852, Leon- ard Bunn; 1853, Danl. Whitenack; 1854, Jas. Campbell; 1857, Leonard Bunn; 1858, -Joseph Thompson; 1859, Caleb Morton, Jos. Thomp- son ; 1862, Leonard Bunn ; 1863, Samuel Corle ; 1864, John H. Anderson ; 1865, D. W. Wilson ; 1866, John C. Garretson ; 1867, J. V. D. Hoag- land; 1868, Samuel Corle; 1869, A. S. Wil- liamson; 1872, Jo.seph Thompson ; 1873, John C. Garretson; 1874, J. V. D. Hoagland ; 1877, Andrew V. D. B. Vo.s.seller ; 1878, John M. Garretson; 1879, Jo.sepli Thompson; 1885- 1890-1895, J. D. Bartine.
Ro//of the Bar, 1769-1896.— \ 769, Wil- liam Patterson ; 1784, Richard Stockton ; 1785, Frederick Frelinghuysen and Andrew Kirk- patrick; 1788, William Griffith; 1791, Lucius H.Stockton; 1792, George McDonald; 1797, John Frelinghuy.sen ; 1801, Jo.seph W. Scott ; 1805, Jacob R. Hardenbergii ; 1808, Theodore Frelinghuysen; 1810, Frederick Frelinghuy- sen and Isaac Blackford; 1811, Samuel L. Southard; 1813, Peter D. Vroom, Jr.; 1816, Thomas A. Hartwell ; 1817, William B. Grif- fith and James S. Green; 1819, James S. Ne-
70
Historical Sketch.
vius; 1821,. John Henry; 1822, Andrew Mil- ler; 1823, Samuel J. Bnyaril ; 1824, John M. Mann and William Thomson ; 1828, Abraham O. Zabriskie; 1829, Joseph A. Gaston and Peter Vredciihurg ; 1830, William H. Leuj)p and William L. Dayton; 1835, George H. Brown and Tlieodore Frelinghuysen ; 1836, John Van Dyke and Garrett S. Cannon ; 1838, Dumont Frelingiuiysen; 1839, Farringtou Bar- calow, Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, and Jolni F. Hageman; 1840, Hugh M. Gaston; 1841, Frederick J. Frelinghuysen and William K. McDonald ; 1844, John V. Voorhees, Samuel S. Hartwell, Stephen B. Ransom and Robert Voor-
hees; 1847, Isaiah N. Dilts ; 1849, Ashbel Green; 1851, Peter L. Voorhees; 1853, John Hartwell and Robert S. Green; 1854, Enos W. Runyon ; 1859, Frederick Voorhees; 1863, Alva A. Clark ; 1865, Johu D. Bartine; 1870, AVm. H. Long; 1871, A. V. D. Honeyman, Winnard J.Davis; 1874, R. V. Lindaburg; 1875, George E. Pace; 1876, David M. Sut- phin, John Seliomp, Wra. C. Sanborn ; 1877, George L. Bell ; 1878, William V. Steele; 1880, Hugh K. Gaston, John A. Frecii, James J. Meehan; 1882, Charles A. Reed; 1890, Nel- son Y. Dungau,
^^ O-wv eA^ ^ C^r^^
CHAPTER VII.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION — CHURCHES — SCHOOLS — BIBLIOGRAPHY.
F the early physicians ol' the county but little can be gleaned, and no roll can be obtained of members of the county medical society until within recent years, al- tliough in age it goes back to the formation of medical societies in the state.
On the first Tuesday of May, 1816, the New Jersey Medical Society pro- ceeded to appoint district societies in the counties. The following persons were appointed to meet on Sept. 20, at Somer- ville, to eflFect a district organization, viz. : Peter I. Stryker, Ferdinand Schenck, William McKissack, J. L. Elmendorf, Wni. D. McKissack, E. Smith, Augus- tus Taylor, Moses Scott, and Iloni-y Schenck.
One of the most prominent members of the District Medical Society was Dr. William McKissack, who practiced at Bound Brook.
The following are recent physicians of Somerset county : Roberts. Smith, Henry H. Van Derveer, Henry F. Van Derveer, C. B. Jaques, Henry G. Wagoner, Samuel K. Martin, Peter D. McKissack, L. H. Mosher, William B. Kibble, James B. Van Derveer, Jesse S. B. Ribble, Robt. M. Morey, J. Fred. Berg, William E. Mattison, John V. Robbins, James G.
Mynard, John C. Sutphen, Joseph S. Sutphen, John W. Craig, Peter T. Sut- phen, James S. Knox, A. P. Hunt, W. H. Morrill, D. C. Van Deusen, W. S. Swinton, B. B. Matthews, Byron Thorn- ton, J. B. Cornell, C. xM. Field, I. L. Campton, C. R. P. Fisher. J. D. Van Derveer, Edwin T. Davis, Louis Reed, Francis McConaugh}', Thomas H. Flynn, A. L. Stillwell, S. 0. B. Taylor, P. J. Zeglio, D. C. Adams, Adonis Nelson, and E. F. Farrow.
Churches. — Thi' early pioneer .settle- ment but preceded the church and school- house, and the early ministers labored long and faithfully for the social and »\)\v- itual good of their people. With each suc- ceeding generation came able and devoted ministers. We give in order of age the diiTerent religious denominations in the count}', and the years in which their churches were established in the different townships.
German Reformed. — 1st. Raritan, Bridge- water, 1699 ; Three Mile Hun, Franklin, 170.3; Six Mile Run, Franklin, 1710; Harlingen, Montgomery, 1727; Ne.slianic, Hillsborough, 1752; Bedminster, Bedminster, 1758; Hills- borough, Hillsborough, 1766; North Brand), Bridgewater, 1825 ; Blawenburg, Montgomery, 1830; Second Raritau, Bridgewater, 1834; Clover Hill, Hillsborough, 1834; Middlebush, Franklin, 1834; Griggstown, Franklin, 1842; Bound Brook, Franklin, 1846 ; Third Raritan,
71
72
Historical Sketch.
Bridgewater, 1848 ; Peapack, Bedminster, 1848; Brancliville, Hillsboroiigli, 1850; East Mill- stone, Franklin, 1855.
Presbyterian. — Kingston, Franklin, be- fore 17UU ; Ba.'^king Kidge, Bernard, 1720; Bound Brook, Bridgewater, 1725; Lamington, Bedminster, 1740; Millstone, Hillsborough, 1759 ; Liberty Corner, Bernard, 1837 ; Plucka- min, Bedminster, 1851.
Lutheran. — St. Paul's, Bedminster, 175G.
Protestant Episcopal. — Bound Brook, Franklin, about 1800 ; Trinity, Montgomery, 1840; St. Mark'.s, Bernard, 1850; St. John'.s, Bridgewater, 1851.
Metfiodist Episcopal.— Corner viWe, Bridge- water, 1832; Peapack, Bedminster, 1838; Rock Mills, Hillsborough, 1840; Bound Brook, Bridgewater, 1849; f^ast Millstone, Franklin, 1854; North Plainfield, 1868; Rocky Hill, Montgomery, 1809 ; Raritan, Bridgewater, 1872.
Baptist. — First Sonierville, Bridgewa- ter, 1X43; Miliington, Bernard, 1851.
Catholic. — St. Bernai-d's, Bridgewater, 1852 ; St. James, Bernard, 1860; St. Josepii's, Bridgewater, 18*53 ; Ea.st Millstone, Franklin, 1864.
Congregational. — Bound Brook, Bridge- water, 1.H7G.
The Middlulni.sli Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, in Franklin township, was organized in 1876 ; while the African MetJKjdist Epi.scopal church of Hillsbor- ougli townsiiip was formed ten years earlier.
Schools. — The earliest school in the county, of which there is any record, was the " three-mile school," opened, in 1720, by Jacobus Schureman, who seems en- titled to the honor of being the pioneer teacher of Somerset county. The old subscription schools were numerous.
while at an early day classical schools, academies and seminaries were estab- lished, and the foct should not be for- gotten that the founding of Queen's (now Rutgers) College was largely due to the eftbrts of citizens of the county. Kings- ton Academy, Basking Ridge Classical School and Pluckamin Academy were among past institutions of merit and note. The public school system has grown steadily in efficiency and in popular favor until it now compares favorablj' with the school system of any other county in New Jersey.
Bibliography. — Somerset county exceeds any county in the Union for the number of its distinguished authors. In the reli- gious world proudly loom up the names of T. De Witt Talmage, T. W. Chambers, Spencer F. Cone, John F. Mesick, John Cornell, Isaac V. Brown, Theodore Strong, William Jackson, Morris C. Sutphin, El- bert B. Porter and a score of others. In the educational field E. A. Apgar is known all over the United States. In law and .statesmanship the county pre- sents the honored names of Stockton, Bay- ard, Southard, Berrien, Dayton, Black- ford, Paterson and Frelinghuysen. In metaphysics Witherspoon takes leading rank, and in advanced logical thought he was followed hy Gi-iffith, Finley, Broun- lee, McDowell, Mrs. Blackwell, Mrs. McConauuhy, Fish, Vroom, Corwin and Craig. In medicine we find Dr. A. B. Dayton ; in agriculture, Dr. L. S. Pen- nington, the pioneer scientific larnier ot Illinois ; and, in history and biography. Messier, Snell, Honeyman and others. Poetry is represented by Mary II. Ed- wards and Mrs. Flowers, and the novel bv numerous good writers.
BIOGRAPHIES.
WILLIAAI II. VKEDENIU'RGM, a leading lawyer at Freehold, Muu- moutli country, New Jersey, is a son of Judge Peter and Eleanor Brinkerhofi' Yredenbiirgh. and was born Aug. 19, 1840, in that town. He is of old Dutch extraction, and his ancestors, prior to 1658, lived in Holland. In May of that year, according to the colonial history' of New York, William I. Vredenhurgh cauic to New Netherlands from the Hague in the ship "Gilded Beaver." From him sprang successive generations led by Isaac, William, Peter, and Peter, Jr. The last one was the great-grandfather of our sub- ject, of whom the record states that he died at NeAV Brunswick, New Jerse3% Aug. 24, 1824, after fulfilling the duties of county treasurer for forty-two consecutive years. He was for many years a trustee of Rutgers ('ollege. His father, likewise named Peter, became a resident of New Brunswick in 1748, at the age of twenty- three years, and he bi'ought with him his newly-wedded wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Scuroman. He was a trus- tee of Kutgers College in 1782, and he died in 1810, at the ago of ninety years. His will is on record in the oflice of the secretary of state at Trenton, New Jersey. The paternal grandfather. Dr. Peter Vredenhurgh, after completing his educa- tion,entered upon the practice of medicine at Somerville, New Jersey, to which pro- fession and practice he devoted his entire life, and he was held in high repute as a physician in all of Somerset county.
Judge Peter Vredenhurgh. our subject's father, was born at lledington, Hunter- don county. New Jer,sey, in 18(1-"). He received his collegiate education at Rut- gers College, from which he graduated. In the year 1829 he came to Monmouth county, and commenced the ])ractice of law at P^atontown, where he remained for nearly a year, and then removed to Free- hold, where he continued to reside during the renuiinder of his life. He was a whig, and took a leading part in politics. For fifteen years he held the office of prose- cutor of the pleas, and he represented IMonmouth county one term in the senate of New Jersey. In 1855 he was appointed one of the associate justices of the supreme court by Governor Price, and he was re- appointed to that office in 18G2 by Gov- ernor Olden, thus holding the position for fourteen years, and discharging the duties of the office with eminent at)ility and fidelity. At the close of his .second term he resumed the practice of law, but his health soon began to fail. Judge Vreden- hurgh had never recovered from the heavy blow he sustained in the death of his son, Major Peter Vredenhurgh, Jr., who was killed, Sept. 19, 18G4, at the bat^ tie of Opequan, Virginia, lie fruitlessly sought to recuperate in Florida his failing energies, and to reco\er from his bereave- ment. He died March 24, 1873, at St. Augustine. Judge Vredenhurgh was mar- ried, in 18oG, to Eleanor Brinkerholf. They had three children, all sons, and each of whom adopted the law as his profession :
7.3
74
Biographical Sketches.
Major Peter, Jr., admitted as a counsel- lor, Feb.. 1802, and subsequently killed in l)attle; William IL, our subject, and James B., born Oct. 1, 1844, admitted as a counsellor in June, 18t)9, and at pres- ent practicing at Jersey City. Judge Vre- denburgh was a trustee of Rutgers College from 1849 to 187-3, and from that seat of learning he received the degree of LL.D. William II. Vredenburgh, our subject. was graduated from Rutgers College in 1859. He studied law in the oftice of Hon. Joseph D. Bedle, ex-governor and ex-justice of the supreme court of New Jersey-. In June, 1862, he was admitted to practice as an attorney, and as a coun- sellor in June, 18G5. On his first admis- sion he commenced practice in Freehold, Avhere he has remained until the present time with the exception of an interval oi" two years at Eatontown, where he was engaged in continuing the business of his brother, Major Peter Vredenburgh, Jr., who was absent in the service of the gov- ernment. Mr. \'redenburgh during his thirty years or more of practice has been engaged in the trial of many important cases in Monmouth and Ocean counties as well as in the appellate courts — cases which have settled questions of grave importance to the litigants and principles of lasting interest to the profession. The case of Williams rs. \'r('eland was a nota- ble iiistiiiici' 1)1' tliis kind, and was the first case wherein a New Jersey court engrafted on a will a legacy not mentioned in it. on the strength of a parol declaration of a trust by tiie testator, coupled with a ver- bal acceptance ol" the trust by the defend- ant. In this Mr. Vredenburgh added largely to his i'c|iiitMtii)n as a reasoner and a pleader. In I S(i-") Mr. Vredenburgh a,ssociated himself in a law partnership with IMiihp.l. Hyall. which continued for
five 3'ears, when the hitters tailing health compelled him to retire from practice. In 1884 he was nominated by the I'epul)- licans of Monmouth count}- as their can- didate for state senator. His election seemed certain until within a week before election day, when the democrats with- drew their candidate and fused with the prohibitionists. The result was Mr. Vre- denburgh's defeat, although he polled nearly seven thousand votes and ran far ahead of the republican ticket. He was appointed one of the advisory masters in chancery b}' Chancellor McCiill, and in 1894 he was elected president of the First National Bank of Freehold, in which posi- tion he is yet serving. He is a director in various other corporations and has re- cently been selected by Governor Griggs as a member of the committee to recom- mend to the legislature methods of tax equalization, a subject of pressing import- ance at this time.
TTON. HOLMES W. MURPHY, gradu- -L-L ate of Princeton Ct)llege and ex- member of Assembly, is also a proniinent member of the Monmouth county bar and the veteran deputy county clerk. He is a son of Judge Joseph and Alice Holmes Mur})hy, and was born Nov. 28, 1822. at Freehold, this county. He recei\('(l his priniai'v educational nuitiir- ing in various private and select scliools at or near Freehold, and Freehold Acad- emy later, where he prepared for college, and accordingly in I 8:)8 he matriculated at Wesleyaii University at Middletown, Connecticut, and entereil the Freshman class. .M'tiT rcMiainiug here three years, he entered, in 1841, the Senior class of Princeton College, graduating with the class of "42 with honors, and in due course
>^^^/?^»^^.^^ ^/T^^t,^--/'^
Biographical Sketches.
received the degree of Master of Arts. Subsequently, in 1842, Mr. Murphy reg- istered as a law student with Hon. Judge Dikeman, of Brooklyn, from whose otRce he wiis admitted to practice in the sev- eral courts of New York state in 1845. He at once established himself in the practice of his profession at Brooklyn, where he remained ten years, during which time, in connection with his prac- tice, he was for two terms a searcher ol' real-estate titles in the county clerk's office of King's county. During a short period he was a commissioner of deeds, in connection with which he was exten- .«ively engaged in conveyancing.
In about 1854 Mr. Murphy returned to his place of birth, at Freehold, this county, and in Feb.. 185G, became deputy county clerk under Jehu Patterson, Esq., and upon the death of the latter, served in the same position under his successor, John W. Bartleson, until Nov., 1858, when he himself was elected county clerk by a very large majority. He served in this position until Nov., 1868, having been re-elected without opposition. During this time he served as clerk of the board of chosen freeholders of the comity from May, 1858, to May, 1874. JMr. Murphy was editor of the Monmouth Deinocnif dimng the absence of its veteran editor, Major James S. Yard, who was in the service. Mr. Murph}', by virtue of his jiosition as clerk of the board of freeholders, which position he held from May, 1858, to May, 1874, and the ex- plicit confidence reposed in him, became very active in assisting the authorities in collecting and raising money by the sale of bonds for furnishing its quota of vol- unteers. He also was appointed to pay out the state bounty to the wives and families of the volunteers from Freehold
township. Mr. ]\[urphy was enthusiastic in his support of the cause of the Union, and as editor he espoused through numer- ous articles and as editorials, in most vig- orous language, his war sentiments and advocacy of the jirosecution dl'thc strug- gle.
From May, LSd'J, the date of incor- poration, to May, 1872, Mr. Murphy served as chief commissioner of Free- hold. Upon this organization virtually followed much needed legislation to carry out the plan of the new incorporation. But in prosecuting this difficult under- taking many o])stacles were met with, many difficulties and vigorous oppositions encountered where they came in contact with contlicting interests, requiring great courage and firmness as well as prudence and good judgment in order to harmon- ize antagonizing interests. At the expira- tion of Mr. Murphy's term as county clerk he became a deputy under his successor until Nov., 187>). In 1871 he was admitted to the l)ar of tliis state and entered into a j)artners]iip witli Ibm. George C. Beeknum in the practice <ii' his profession. In 1880 Mr. Murphy was elected a member of the general assem- bly of this state, served one term and refused a re-election. He served on a number of important committees. :uul was a member of the constitutional com- mission in 1881. At 2)resent he is serv- ing his twenty-seventh year in the county clerk's office. In 1892 he was elected pres- ident of the Monmouth County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and is a direc- tor in the First National Bank of Free- hold. As president of the Maplewood Cemetery Company he has rendered valu- able service, and for twenty years has been a trustee of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. He is an active
7(5
Biographical Sketches.
worker in tlu- M. K. ("liiirch of Freehold, having served twelve years as president of the board of trnstees.
His nnptials were celebrated on the 12tli of Nov., 18G1, having married Lavinia C. Swift, danghter of Daniel D. Swift, of Fulton House, Lancaster count}'. Pa., and they had seven children: M. Loui.se (who graduated at the Young Ladies' Seminary at Freehold and AVes- leyan Female College at Wilmington, Del.), Alice (dec'd), Emma (dec'd), Joseph (dec'd), Lavinia S. (who graduated at the Young Ladies' Seminary of Free- hold), Adeline S. (who graduated at the Young Ladies' Seminary of Freehold and is now a pupil at the Woman's Col- lege at Baltimore. Md.), and Holmes (dec'd).
Mr. Muri)hy in his .social life has de- voted nmch of his time to Freemasonry and Odd Fellowship. He became a past master of Fortitude Lodge, F. and A. M., of Brooklyn in 1851, and has held the highest honors in the state of New Jersey, serving as deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of Masons. He is a pa.st master of Olive Branch Lodge, No. 16. He is a mend)er of Monmouth Lodge, No. liO. 1. (). (>. F., and past district deputy mand uiiislcr of tiic ( Irand Lodge of I. O. ( ). I''., and is also a iiiembei- of the Sons of llic American ivcNohition.
'I'hc (>ri,^iiiiil Aiiicricaii prog('nit()r of the jMurpln l';nniiy was Timothy Mur- j)iiv, wiio \v;is an cniigraiit I'rom Ireland. and came to this country about 17")0, locating near Keyjiort, Monmouth county. New .lersey. He was a school teacher, a justice of the peace, and taught survey- ing and navigation. lie also served as judge of the coui-t of common pleas of Monmoulli cnniits' at one time.
He nianird Mar\- (larrison. nnd the\-
had eight children, four stms and lour daughters, the youngest of whom was •ludge Joseph, father of subject, who was liorn at liethany, Moninoutli county. New Jersey', Jan. 1, 17U7. When yet a young man, in ISIU, he removed to Freehold and established a tanner}' op})o- site the "Cowart Place," on the Key- port road. On Jan. 1, 1820, he was mar- ried to Alice Holmes, daughter of Stout Holmes, who served in the Continental Army of the Revolution, at that time a citizen of Freehold. They had nine chil- dren, of whom Holmes W. was the second eldest. Judge Murphy subsequently was engaged in the mercantile business at Freehold for several years, and in 18M8 purchased a farm near Freehold, to which after 1850 he gave his entire time and attention, and was rated as one of the most successful and practical farmers in the county. In 18G7, having accumu- lated a competency, he sold his farm and retired from active l)usiness pursuits, and resided at Freehold up to his death. He .served for a time as one of the judges of the court of connnon pleas of Monmouth county with dignity, rare impartiality, and good judgment. He was a man pos- sessed of many sterling (pialities of both heart and head. As ;i judge he was linn and unswerving in his conx ictions of right ; cautious and slow in meting out jnilgment. but stcndl'ast in his decisions. IK' (lied in 1 SS I at th.' ;ige of eighty- scNCU N'ears.
HON. ALFKKD W ALlJXCi, .)\i., ex- judge of Monmoutli county, and a distinguished niendu'r of the Monmouth county bar. with ollices at Keyport, is a son of Alfred and Kli'/.abeth Stout Wal- ling, and was born Oct. 20, 1845, at Key-
HlOGRAl'HICAI. SkKTCHKS.
port. Tlie iiuiiiL' is ol' W^'lsli oi'iiiiii, ;uul tlu' laiiiily has long been a proiiiiiicut one in New Jersey, figuring extensively in agricultural, eoinmereial, and legisla- tive circles.
Cornelius Walling, [)aternal grand- fiitlier of our subject, who was a very active nieudn'r oi" the New Jersey Assem- bly in ISlio, was a native of old JNIid- dletown township, and was a, life-long farmer near Keyport, in Middletown township. He was a staunch democrat in politics, and besides his career in the legislature also held a number of local offices in his township. He was an active supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church at Bethany, near Keyport. His wife was Miss Elizabeth Murphy, daugh- ter of Timothy Murphy, of old Middle- town township, who died in 1886, and by whom he had four children: Alfred, Eusebius M., Elizabeth, wife of Thomas V. Arrowsmith, late clerk of Monmouth county, and Amelia, wife of Thomas B. Stout, of Keyport. He died about 1828.
Alfred Walling, father of our subject, was also a well-known member of the New Jersey Assembly, serving with dis- tinction in the sessions of 1849 and 1850. He was a native of JMiddletown township, and possessed a good common-school edu- cation. He was clerk in a store at Cen- treville for several years, and was sub- sequently engaged in the business of sur- veying and conveyancing at Keyport. which he conducted successfully until the time of his death in Nov., 1875. He was an active participant in Monmouth county politics, and besides serving in the legislature was, in early life, clerk of Mid- dletown township, and, later, assessor of Raritan township. He was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church at Keyport, and a member of Delta Chap-
ter, No. 11. F. and A. M. He married Miss Elizabeth Stout, daughter of John Stout, of old Middletown township, l)y whom he had three children : .Vlfred.our subject; Eusebius, deceased in iSiil.aiid Matilda. Our subjects motlier died in IS 52.
Judge Alfred Walling, subject of this sketch, received a conunon-sciiiiol (■ducu- tion at Keyport. In early ynutli lie worked on a farm near Key[)ort, and sub- sequently occupied a position as clerk in a store at New York cit_\- for two years. He then returned to Keyport, and took charge of his intlier's business, which he conducted until 1S71. lie had always been a close student, and he applied him- self to the reading of law, being admitted to the bar in 1S74. He immediately began the practice of this profession at Keyport, and attained such rapid emi- nence that he was appointed judge in the Monmouth county courts in 1879, serv ing until 1890. At the expiration of his judicial career he I'eturned to Keyport, and has since built up a large and lucra tive practice, embracing every branch of the profession. .ludge Walling has always been a staunch democrat, and one of the foremost men in his party in Mon- mouth county. He takes an active in- terest in educational matters, and served as school trustee at Keyport for several years. He was formerly a member of Lodge No. 49, F. and A. U., of Key- port. He was married Jan. 9, 1S()7, to Miss Henrietta Ogden, daughter of Bufiis Ogdeu, of Key[)ort, and they have had three children: Olnetta,, P^lizabcth. de- ceased, and Kufus (). Judge Walling is a man of handsome personality and dis- tinguished appearance, is easy in his bear- ing and courteous in manner. He is widely known and respected, and is one
80
Biographical vSketches.
of the most p(>[)nl;ir iiicii in INIoniiioutli county. He is a tireless worker, is thor- ouglily versed in every turn and techni- cality of his profession, and is well in- formed on all subjects of general infor- nintioii. His 2)()sition in the county is an eminent and inlluential one.
TTON. HENRY M. NEVIUS, circuit -^-L court judge, ex-president of tlie state senate, and for twenty years one of the most prominent lawyers of the state of New Jersey, was also a gallant officer of the civil war, and at present is an esteemed citizen of Red Bank, where he has resided since May, 1 875, previously in Freehold and vicinity. He is a grandson of David Nevius, a brother of Judge James S. Nevius, jjresident judge for many years of the Monmouth county circuit, and a son of James S., Jr., and Hannah Bowne Nevius, and was born Jan. 30, 1841, in Freehold township, Monmouth county. New Jersey. He received his early educational training in Freehold Institute, and subse((uent]y took acourse in the university at Grand Rapids, Michigan. In April, 18()1, he resolved u|»in the study ol' law. and accordingly registered as a student in the office of E. Smith. Jr.. and General Russell Alger, at Grand Ra[)ids, Michigan, but upon the breaking out of the war of the rebellion cast his fortunes tor the cause of his country, and accordingly, in Jul}- of 18t)l, he eidisted in a company being organized at (irand Rapids, which became known as the "Lincoln Cavalry," Company K, attached to the First New York Lincoln (•a\alry. Having served with distinc- tion in this department of the army, in .Tan., 1863, he was promoted to sec- ond lieutenant of Company I), Seventh
Miehigaiu'iivalry. which together with tlie First. Fitth and Si.xth Michigan cavalry, constituted the celebrated brigade, under the leadership of (ieneral George A. Custer, won such brilliant fame in the campaign of the Army of the Potomac. He returned home during the winter of 1863-4, but the following spring re-en- listed in the Twenty-fiftli New York cavalry regiment, and soon alter was pro- moted to first lieutenant. On the 11th of July, 1864, during an engagement in front of Fort Stevens, he lost his left arm, this making the fourth wound he had received in the service. For meritorious conduct in this battle he was promoted to the rank of major. While confuied to the hospital, undergoing treatment for his wounds, he was serving on detached duty, and remained in the service up to July, 1865. Now that the war was over he returned to reside in (piiet and peace at Marlboro, where he established liim- .self in the insurance business, and in connection with which he served as asses- sor of internal revenu" of the district, comprising Monmoutii county, from 1S66- 68, when he resigned to enter u])oii the study of law in the office of General Charles Haight, at Freeholil. with whom he remained until ndmitteil at i-'ebruary term. IS7."'i. lie at once located in prac- tice at Freehold, where he remained up to May, 1875, when he became a law l)artner of Hon. John S. Applegate, at lu'd Bank, with whom he remained four years. 1884-88, when the firm was dis- solved, whereupon Mr. Nevius associated with iiini ]*](lward Wilson, Esq., a former student, which relation has lasted ever since. He was admitted as a counsellor in 1876. In recognition of his legal learning and ability, in 1896, Governor Griggs appointed him circuit court judge
Biographical Sketches.
SI
of Hudson county district, one of the most enviable positions in the judicial department of the state, in which posi- tion he is ably serving at the ])rescnt time. In politics he is an uncompromis- ing republican, but never an aspirant for office; however,after having several times refused the nomination for member of general assembly and once that of sena- tor, in 1887, upon the solicitation of his friends, he was induced to accept the nomination and was elected to the latter office, and in 1890, served as president of that body. He was specially active and useful as a public speaker during the presi- dential campaigns of 1880, 1884, and 1888, having delivered during the latter campaign over sixty speeches, and he bears the enviable reputation of being one of the most eloquent political and Grand Army speakers in the state. He is a member and was one of the chief organizers of Arrowsmith Post, No. 61, G. A. R., in 1881, at Red Bank, and served as its commander up to 1884, when he was elected commander of the department of New Jersey, serving up to 1885, when he was re-elected by accla- mation. He married Dec. 27, 1871, Matilda XL. a daughter of the late Wil- liam W.Herbert, of Marlboro, this county, and they have one daughter, Kate T.
Judge Nevius, as asoldier and an officer, was possessed of a cool head and a bold courage which knew no fear, and he bears an enviable record. As a lawyer he is well versed in all the subtleties of the law, is careful in the preparation of his cases, is an eloquent pleader and true to his client. As a statesman, his ability and eloquence as a public speaker an<l debater soon won for him recognition as being one of the ablest and most popular men in the senate, which resulted in his
election as its president. As a Jurist — liis latest honor — he is able, broad-minded and impartial.
TTENRY S. WHITE, ex-United States ^— *- district attorney, and a heading member of the Hudson coun.ty bai', with offices at .fersey Git}', but residing at Red Bank. Monmouth county, where he is an influential citizen, is a son of Isaac P. and Adaline (Simmons) White, and was born July lo, 1844, at Red Bank. The name is of English origin. His great-great-grandfather, Thomas White, and his great-grandfather, Thomas White, '2d, were both well-known and prosper- ous farmers in Shrewsbury townshii), Monmouth county. His grandfather, Esek White, was well educated at New York city, where he engaged in business, in addition to operating the family farm in Monmouth county. He was a staiuich old-line whig, and a quaker by faith. His Avife was Miss Ann Bessonet, daugh- ter of a prominent French family, by whom he had four children : Henry B., Esek T., Isaac P., and Caroline.
Isaac P. White, our subject's father, was l>orii in Shrewsbury townshij). Mon- mouth county, April 7, 1804, and died at Jersey City, Jan. 27, 1876. In early life he was a clerk in Corliss & Allen's store at Shrewsbury town for some time, and subsequently removed to Brooklyn, New York, and organized the firm of Lippincott & White, which car- ried on a wholesale grocery business. He afterwards located at Red Bank as a member of the firm of Wooley & White, lumber dealers. They established the first lumber yard in this section of New Jersey, and did an extensive and lucra^ five business. He then removed, in
82 Biographical Skktchks.
187'j, to .ler.scy (Jity, where ho lived qui- iiieiit ot" (lolumhia ('oUeo-o, whence he etly until his death, in ISTii, in his sev- graduiited in May, 1S70. lie then en- enty-second j^ear. In politics he was an tered the law otiice of Wiiliani A. Lewis, old-line whig and republican, and took at Jersey (^ity, where he read law until an active interest in public matters. B}- Feb., 1878. He was admitted to the bar i-eligious faith he was a quaker, but his for general practice in New Jersey, in wife being a presbyterian, he attended Nov., 1872, and as counsellor-at-law. in the church of that denomination and Nov., 1875. He (i])ciie(l an oOlee in Jer- helped to organize the Presbyterian sey City on Felj. !. IS7.'). in co-partner- church of Red Bank. He was an ensign, ship with John Blair, and the firm contin- or third lieutenant, in the New York mi- ued in business until Feb.. 1878. when it litia for many years, and his connnissioii was dissolved upon the ap[>ointnient of is still in his son's possession. He was a Mr. Blair to the judiciary. Since that prominent member of a lodge of 1. 0.0. F. time Mr. White has practiced independ- of Red Bank. His wife was Miss Ada- ently, and has a large and lucrative cli- line Simmons, daughter of Abraham entage. Between 1881 and 1890 he Simmons, Avho was born at Phelps, On- also had an office in New York city, tario county, New Yoik, on Aug. 2(). Among important cases upon which Mr. 1817, and died at Red Bank, May 7. White has been employed, one of the 1884. They had three children : Henry most notal)le, and the one which gave S., Theodore S., who died July 28, 18G"). him greatest prominence, was the suit of and James S., who died April 14, 181)0. the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Henry S. Wiiite, subject of this sketch, llailroad Company against the Hudson received his prt'liminary education in the Tunnel Railway Company. The latter piiltlic schools of Red Bank, and tlien company being organized lor the cdu- prepared for college under private tutors struction of a tunnel under tiie Hudson at home. He took a- course at the Col- river Ijctween New Yoi'k and Jersey lege of Physicians and Surgeons, New City. The former company held -that York city, and graduated in 18(14, lint according to tiie provisions of the gen- did not immediately oI)tain his diploma eral railroad law, no company could be on account of not having reached the legally organized for the construction of required age of twenty-one years. He such a tunutl. and tiiat tiiey further was appointed assistant sui'geon in the could I'xercise no right of emint'iit do- ll. S. Army the last year of the war, and n)ain. After a hard fight, and long and retained tliat [)osition until his discharge tedious litigation lasting .•several years, in .lidy. 18(i"). He then spent some time and |)assing thn)Ugh the court of elian- iu tlie women's hospital and the old .\ew eery, tiie supreme court, the court of York hos])ital. New York city, until the appeals and, lastly, the United States spring of 18(ifi. when he obtained his <le- court, the latter company receiving the grec of M. I). He immediately entered decision of each, the work of construct- upon the practice of his profession at ing the tunnel was now allowed to pro- Red Bank, and s[)ent about two years ceed, but after two thousand feet had there. In 18(58 he returned to New been constructed, linaucial difficulties York city and entered the law depart- forced a suspensii)n of work, and the
Af^^^^
RmoRAPHiCAL Skktches.
85
project, tliouj;h a liold ;iii(l iiovol one. yet entirely practicable, was never completed. Mr. White's victory in this celebrated case gave him a wide repntation. He is a stannch republican in politics, and is actively identified witii [)nblic iifl'airs both in Monmouth and Hudson counties. In 1878 he was appointed collector of the port at Jersey City, which position he occupied for four years. In 1884 he removed to Red Bank, where he had previ- ously built a handsome residence. In 1800 he was appointed United States district attorney for the district of New Jersey, and administered the afiiiirs of that office with vigor and renown until August, 1894, when a democrat succeeded him. Mr. White was a delegate to the Niv tional Republican Convention at Chicii- go, in 1888, and was secretary of the New Jersey delegation. lie is a member of a lodge of F. and A. M., of Red Bank, and is a prominent member of Post No. 61, G. A. R., of Red Bank, having been department commander of the G. A. R. of New Jersey in 1895 and 1896. He attends the Presbyterian church of Red Bank, and is president of the board of trustees. In 1878 he was married to Miss Annie II. McLean, daughter of ex- Judge A. C. McLean, of Freehold, and they have one daughter, Margaretta. Mr. White is talented and energetic, two (qualities, to which his enviable success in life is largely due. He is popular and respected at Red Bank, and is well- known at Jersey City as one of the most active, forcible and eloquent pleaders in the local courts.
HARRY C. PERRIXE, president of the First National Bank of South Andjoy, and a prominent potter and clay
miner in that city, is a son oi' John and Sarah I). ( Appelget) Perrine, and was i)orn March 0, 184."J, at Spotswood, Middle- sex county, New Jersey. The Pt'rrine I'amily is of French origin. Many years ago when tiie Edict of Nantes was pro- mulgated, France lost, and America wel- comed, one more Huguenot to her shores, in the person of one of the paternal an- cestors of our subject. He settled on Staten Island.
Harry C. Perriue obtained his rudi- mentary education in the common schools at Spotswood, and subsequently became a student at Burlington College, Burling- ton, N. J., and at Cohnnbia (Jrammar School, in New York city. In 1864 he went into business at South Amboy, which he carried on in a successful man- ner for three years, when he moved to New York city, and became a wholesale dealer in provisions. He returned to South Amboy in 1875, and purchased the Swan Hill Pottery, putting it in com- plete order and repair, and at once com- menced the manufacture and sale of earthenware, brown, yellow and stone- wares, which immediately became known and had ready marJcet all over the Uni- ted States, In recent years the pottery business has become somewhat depressed. This he ascribes to tlu' changes in tariff legislation embodied in the Wilson Bill. He anticipates the enactment of a tariff bill by the ensuing Congress that will infuse fresh vitality into the pottery trade, and eiial)le him in his works to employ a large number ol' hands. Mr. Perrine is also engagetl very largely in clay mining, as well as in the successful cultivation of cranl)erries. He was chosen president of the First National Bank of South Amboy at the time of its organi- zation in 1888, in which responsible po-
86
]5lOGRAPHICAI, .SkKTCHKS.
sitioii lie continues up to the present time. Ill politics he is a rcpul)lican, and naturally a believer in McKinleyisin and all that name implies. While taking an interest in elections he has had no desire tor hohliiig public oilice, having declined in numerous instances to be a candidate. He is a member ol' the Episcopal church at South Amboj, and a very active Christian worker. He is a member of St. Stephen's Lodge, No. 63, F. and A. M., as well as a companion of Scott Chap- ter, No. 4, Royal Arch Masons. He is also a Sir Knight in Coeur De Leon Commandery, Kniglits Templar, in New Brunswick, New Jersey; an ex-commo- dore of the South Amboy Yacht Club, etc. Mr. Perrine was married Feb. L3, 1868, to Emma M., daughter of Captain Charles Fish, treasurer and general agent of the Camden and Amboy Railroad, at South Amboy. Their son, Harry C, Jr., is engaged in the clay business with his father. The family residence, " Swan Hill," is situated on a beautiful eminence at the foot of liroadway. South Amboy. N. J., and commands a magnificent view of Raritan and Princess bays.
John Perrine, father of our subject, was born near ^fatchaponix, New Jersey. His educiition was acquired in the com- mon schools. lie became a land survey- or and a public functionary in the set- tlement of estates. In IS.']') he surveyed and laid out the town of South Amboy. He served in both braiu-hes of the New Jersey legislature a nnml)er of terms, representing his county and district with marked ability. He was elected judge of the court of common {)leas at New lirunswick, and presided with distin- guished ability for twelve years. lie was also a manufacturer of siuifl'. and ojierated mills for its jirodnction with
great success. He was engaged in mer- cantile pursuits fur many years, and died Jan. 29, 1SS4, in the eighty-sixth year of his age. Li all his undertakings he was very prosperous, and activity and shrewdness seemed stamped on every thing he touched, and he was a man noted for the excellence of his judgment. He had large holdings of real estate. He was a member of the Episcopal church of Spotswood, and early in life aililiated himself with the Masonic fra- ternity. He had four sons : Orlando, Thomas A., J. Baird. and Harry ('., our subject.
Harry C. Perrine inherits his lathers great executive ability. He too pos- sesses his sire's capability to turn every- thing to good account. Possessing tact and enterprise, prudence safely stretched and liberality drawn at the proper line, he is a tower of strength to the bank of which he is the honored president. No man more thoroughly commands the re- spect and admiration of his fellow-towns- men than does Mr. I'errine.
r EWIS T. HOWEL, president of the ^^ First National Bank of New Bruns- wick, New Jersey, and a prominent citi- zen of East Millstone, New Jersc}', is a son of Joseph and Sarah S. Howel, and was born .lanuary ol, IS20, in Middlesex county, New Jersey. His patei'iial grandfather was a mechanic, and during his life followed the trade of a mason. In politics he was an old-line whig. His children were: Martin .\., Stephen, Joseph, Elizabeth A'anderliof iind Mary, who was married, first, to James Dunn, and second, to Jacob Black- ney. His father, Joseph Howel, received :i common-srhool education and followed
BioGRAPHicAi. Sketches.
89
the cxiunplt' of his lather h_v U'ai'uiiiu' the trade of a mason. After foUowhm' this for some years he changed his occu- pation to that of a farmer, hut (iiially hecame a merchant. He was politicall\' an ohi-line whig, and afterwards hecame a republican. He took much interest in Christian work, and was not only a mem- ber but an elder and trustee of tlie Dutch Reformed church, after having been for some years a member of the Presbyterian church. To him and his wife were born three daughters and two sons : Lewis T., Stephen, Ann Eliza, deceased, Mary Jane, married to John Wilson, and Sarah.
Ijcwis T. Howel has had what may be considered a remarkable career, and it serves to illustrate what native ability, by energy, perseverance and high moral character, can accomplish, even in the absence of what is considered as a liberal education.
The subject of this sketch was obliged to content himself with what education he could accpiire at the public scliools. which he left at tlie early age of fifteen years to begin his business life.
He first secured employment as a clerk in a store, wdiere he remained lor four years, till \i^'-]~. He then went to learn the trade of a tailor at Plain- field, New Jersey. Owing to the general business depression which began that year he abandoned his trade and became en- gaged in fiirming. This he followed until 1844, when he began the manuhic- ture of wall paper at New Brunswick, New Jersev. at which business he achieved an eminent degree of success, and continued in it for a period of eigh- teen years. He then end)arked in the coal business at New Brunswick, which he maintained for three years, and sub- seipiently went into the lumber business,
continuing in this for eleven years. Hav- ing accunudated a ftjrtune, he retired from active commercial life altogether, and re- moved to jNIillstone, as a place ofi'ering to him special inducements for a permanent residence, and in 1884 he was elected president of the Niitional Bank of New Jersey. Of this bank he had been a director for twenty years.
In his politics Mr. Howel i.s staunchly republican, although by no means a poli- tician. He has held a large number of township offices, as marks of honor con- ferred by his fellow-townsmen, and where the only inducement for him was the opportunity to be of service to them. He is an active Christian, a member of the Reformed church of Millstone, and one of its elders. On Oct. 21, 1846, Mr. Howel was joined in marriage to Juanna M. Wyckoff, and to them have been born two daughters : C.ertrude, married to William E. Nuther, and Sarah. Mr. llowel represents a Ijroad-minded conser- vative tj-pe of financiers, and as a bank official may be truly termed a working president, giving his personal attention to the details of the business, and intro- ducing into the contents of all the de- partments of the business the same systematic, correct and upright methods that are characteristic of all Mr. Howel's business relations. Under his incum- bency the First National Bank of New Jersey has justly' risen to a front raid<: among the most solid and reliable finan- cial institutions of the state.
TTON. DANIEL C. CHASE, ex-sena- -1 — L tor from Middlesex county, New Jersey, and ex-mayor of South Aniboy, where he resides, is also one of the most substantial and successful business men
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lUOC.KAl'H ICAI. SkHTCHKS.
in .Midillcscx coiiiity. lie is tlu' son ol' liolder T. and Plia>be Co^' Chase, and was born May 4, 1850, at Hroadalhin. New York. His great-grand lather, .To- seph Cliase, was a native ol" England, from which country Iw emigrated to America and settled at Fall River, Mas- sachusetts, lie married a JNIiss Sowle, a Spanish lad}-.
Stephen Chase, son of .losepli. was born in ITS-'") at Fall River. wluTe he followed the oeeupatioH of a farmer and woodsman. In the ])roseeution of thi' latter branch ol' industr}' he was exten- siv'ely and successfully employed in fur- nishing tindjer to contractors engaged in railroad and other constructicm business. lie was an American patriot and a colo- nel in the war of ISl'J. In religion he was a baptist. He married Sarah Philips, by whom he had six sons : Ben- jamin. Holder T.. Charles. Harvey, John li. and William. He die(l in 1S.")(I. his wile surviving him initil iSGli.
Holiler T. (/base, father of our subject. Avas born March 16, ISl'i, at Broadalbin, New York. He became a farmer by occupation, in which connection he was also a dealer in timber. He migrated to Michigan in ISCili, and was engaged in agricultural pui-suits at C^iincy for th<' ensuing year, when he died. Politically he was a democrat, and in religion a baptist. He was twice married, and by his first wife, Phoebe Coy, who died in 1853. he was the father of four children: VA'w.-A \.. .\ndrew .1.. Clarinda and Danifl < '.. oiii' sid)ieet. His second wife.Chally Pawling, bore him two sons: Holdei'and Benjamin.
Danii'l C. Chase, after attending tlir public schools in his native town until the age of thirteen years, worked on a farm in Cayuga county. New York, for
aljout one year. He then went to New York cit}-, where he obtained a position as night watchman for the Delaware and IJaritan Canal steamboats, from which Innnble position he has been gradually [)rom()ted until he obtained his present ri'S[)onsible one of superintendent of the Di'laware and Raritan Canal (Pennsyl- vania Railroad Co.) steam-towing, with oilices at 121) Broad street, New York. He has a thorough knowledge of boat- ing, is well versed in admiralty law. is an engineer and telegraph operator, the originator of the du])lex system of col- lecting towage, also of the smoke-stack signs for distinguishing dilferent lines ot steand)oats. is associated in the patent right of the Practical Rocking (Irate Bars, which are almost universally used on water and to a large extent on land. He has originated various transportation and shipbuilding companies, besides var- ious other business enterprises of minor im|)ortance. lie was for several years president of the South Amboy board of trade, and is also extensively interested in real estate. He is a member of St. Ste- phen's Lodge, No. Ho, F. and A. M., at South Andx)y, Mt. Zion Chapter, R. A. M., of New York, and York Commanderj, Knights Templar. Besides, he is a mem- ber of various social clubs and organiza- tions. He was one of the originators of the South Andjoy First National Bank, chartered in 1 Si)0. and has served as a director ever since. In political texture the senator is a staunch democrat, and lias ae<|uiicd much ])i'ominence as a |)olitical leader in local, county and state |)olitics. .Vmong the numerous jiositions with which his constituents have honored him were the following: Chosen free- biilder for one term. 1884 ; and senator i'lom .Middlesex county, elected in 1885
BlOGRAPHICAI, SkKTCHKS.
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lor til fee years. As a uu'inlH'r dI' this body he drafted and, al'ter a hard struggle on the senate floor, secured tlie passage of a bill organizing the borough of South Amboy in 1SS7. Mueli op[)osition was encountered in the undertaking, and it was largely due to the })ersonal etlbrts of Mr. Chase that the organization was eflfected. That his purpose was well merited and the results appreciated is evidenced in the fact that upon his re- tirement from the senate he was five times elected to succeed himself as maj'or. In 1888 he was elected connnissioner of pilotage, with offices at Jersey City, in which position, as president of the board, he is serving at the [iresent time. In 1894 he was nominated for Congress from t!ie Third Congressional distric-t, but refused to accept the candidacy. He en- joys a wide range of i)rosperity,